Shattered Moon Part 15: The Rift
by Spunky0ne
Summary: While covering for Byakuya on a mission, Renji disappears into a dimensional rift. But even when found, Renji may never be the same...mpreg, angsty.
1. Training

**The Rift**

**By Spunky0ne**

_**(Yup! The series goes on! I hope you enjoy this next one. It does get angsty, but as always, this family sticks together and fights its way through. Thanks to everyone for supporting this series. And yes, there will be another after this one. I'm already mentally working on it!)**_

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 1: Training**

"Byakuya," said the elder Hajime, shifting his weight in the saddle to slow the white horse that carried his younger namesake and him, alongside the one that bore Renji Abarai and a very pregnant Byakuya Kuchiki, "Do you think it would be a good time for a short rest? We have ridden for quite some time since we left Kuchiki Manor."

Byakuya rubbed his thickened abdomen and nodded briefly. Though he would have been loathe to admit such a thing in most situations, pregnancy had a way of swiftly undermining pride, intensifying emotions, effecting changes in appetite and preference, and most certainly leaving a soul notably humbled. But, he had to admit, it did cause him to slow down and enjoy the beauty of the life around him.

He felt Renji's hand slide around his waist and made a soft sound of discomfort at the heady kick their unborn child gave at sensing the redhead's touch. Renji grinned and continued to rub the noble's round belly, chuckling as the baby kicked harder. Byakuya made another soft sound of discomfort and fixed a stern, gray eye on his soul bonded.

"What?" said Renji, a bit too innocently, "Something wrong with me rousting the troops? Any captain worth his salt knows he has to be able to do that."

"Perhaps you should confine yourself to 'rousting' the ones that are not about to burst out of my insides if you rile them too greatly."

"You hear that?" he said, turning to look at the huge red wolf that carried Takeo, Akiko and Akane, while Chisaki flew overhead in hawk form, "Sounds like an invitation for sparring practice, ne?"

Young Hajime bounded down from elder Hajime's mount and helped Takeo lift down the two toddlers from Takeshi's back.

"I would be pleased to engage the older children if you would like to train with the younger," the elder Hajime offered, dismounting and flash stepping away.

"Sounds good to me!" laughed Renji, leading the younger children off to one side of the large meadow as the older children followed Hajime in the other direction, "Grr! I am Wakame Taishi, and I'll turn you into seaweed!"

Akiko and Akane squealed and ran about in circles in the long grass on the near side of the meadow. Young Hajime worked to remain clear of Renji, but waited for him to try to scoop up one of the squealing redheaded bundles, then with a blistering flash step, nimbly removed his laughing sibling from the reach of their father's hands.

"Argh! Just missed!" snarled Renji, playfully, changing directions and charging at a giggling Akane.

"Wakatishi! Wakatishi!" squealed Akiko in warning.

"I'll stop him!" shouted Hajime.

He flash stepped in and caught his breath sharply as Renji turned and reached for him instead. Akane squealed loudly.

"Wakatishi!"

Hajime twisted and glared at Renji, his eyes beginning to glow golden.

"Hey," Renji objected, "That's not fair! Don't you be using your god powers on me!"

Hajime twisted nimbly, in a move that Renji knew he had seen the elder Hajime use before, and broke free.

"Nice move," he observed, as Hajime fired a binding spell and Renji crashed to the ground, "Maybe I should start training with that guy too!"

"Really, Renji," Byakuya said, smirking, "I can't believe how easily you fell for that!"

"Hey!" snapped the redhead, pretending to struggle against the kido bonds as the three children piled on top of him, laughing and kicking his sides playfully with their heels.

"We defeated Wakame Taishi!" announced Hajime, happily.

"Wakatishi!" yelled Akiko and Akane, "Feet Wakatishi!"

Akane chewed thoughtfully on her thumb for a moment, then turned and pulled off one of Renji's shoes.

"Feet!" she said loudly, "Tickle!"

"Ah…" gasped Renji, beginning to struggle more seriously against the kido bonds, "Hey, uh…haha…HA! Hajime! Hajime…ehhaha, kid…okay this is not funny! NOT…MY…FEET!"

The kido on his arms and legs shattered and he started to roll to his knees. A quick kido spell sent him back onto the ground and then a stronger kido held him in place. The redhead glared up at Byakuya, who looked down at him placidly.

"Is something wrong?" the noble asked calmly.

"Traitor!" snapped the redhead, groaning as the toddlers tackled him again.

"Wakatishi feet!" yelled Akiko.

Each girl crawled down one leg and crouched on top of it, while tickling the vulnerable bottom of one of Renji's bared feet.

"Augh!" the redhead yelled, "Not fair! I want to fight the older kids! You little guys cheat!"

Akane turned and glared at Renji, her lovely gray eyes flashing dangerously.

"I NOT CHEAT!" she shouted.

"I NOT CHEAT!" Akiko repeated, smacking his foot with an open hand.

"Yeah," Renji said, snapping the kido on his hands, "You might not, but your other father and your little godling brother do!"

"Wakame Taishi!" said Hajime commandingly, "You lost! Now, you have to give horsey rides on your back to your conquerors!"

"Oh, hell, not all three of you!" Renji complained, "You'll break my back."

"Oh, hell!" repeated Akiko.

"Abarai," said Byakuya, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry," the redhead mumbled as the children climbed on his back and he crawled away.

"Oh, hell!" Akiko said again.

"Akiko, that's potty mouth," said Hajime.

"Oh, hell!" said Akane.

"Not you too!" the boy groaned, rolling his eyes, "Daddy Ren is giving the girls bad habits!"

"Knock it off," Renji said warningly, "or no more horsey rides today. You guys are killing me!"

He carried the three children off to a nearby brook, where he pretended to collapse and dumped them into the water. Byakuya couldn't quite suppress a smile at the intensity of the water fight that broke out. The sound of their laughter warmed him inside and he felt the baby kick restlessly again.

"Not much longer," he said softly, patting his abdomen, "Pretty soon, you will be out here playing games and having fun too. Just a bit longer."

He sighed softly.

"At least wait until after the wedding…"

His eyes strayed away to where Hajime fought, bare handed against Takeo, Takeshi's red wolf form, and Chisaki's hawk form. He sat down in the shade of a tree to watch.

Hajime's lithe form moved swiftly to sidestep Takeo's incoming attack, while releasing a half strength kido spell at the attacking hawk. He turned and leapt into the branches of a tree as Takeshi charged, then watched as Takeo tackled his brother and began to wrestle with him in the long grass. He dropped down out of the tree and flash stepped away as Chisaki swept in from behind him.

"Nicely done," he commented, flash stepping again to avoid the second part of a combination attack.

Chisaki shifted back to shinigami form and attacked with a blinding storm of hands and feet. Hajime met each with carefully controlled blocking moves, then found an opening and nearly had the girl captured, when she shifted to hawk form again, and he flash stepped out of reach of her talons.

Takeshi's wolf form suddenly launched out of the grass and nearly pulled Chisaki down as Hajime met Takeo in a blaze of physical and half-strength kido attacks. Byakuya marveled at how Takeo's abilities had improved since Hajime had begun to work with him. There was no question that their Kuchiki ancestor was an expert fighter, and now that fighting skill was being passed along to the children.

Byakuya sighed, thinking that it would be less than four years until Takeshi and Chisaki would be forced to grow up, and to take on the roles that their noble houses were so eager for them to play. Takeshi, of course, would lead the Kuchiki clan. Although younger than his sister by several minutes, the Kuchiki and Shihoin clans had agreed that it would be most appropriate for Chisaki to lead the Shihoin clan, a house traditionally led by females, and for Takeshi to lead the Kuchiki clan. Regardless, once the two turned eighteen and were officially made the heirs, their lives would change drastically.

He didn't want to consider how drastically…

Despite having a more supportive council than his father had, Takeshi would feel the bindings of responsibility take hold, much as Byakuya had when his father had died and his official naming as heir had been moved up. He had been subjected to heavy training in all areas, to the point where his childhood had disappeared somewhere into the rush as the clan prepared him to lead them.

He consoled himself with the fact that he and Renji had surrounded Takeshi and Chisaki in their love, and had allowed them to be children, despite the early arrival of their powers, and the constant threat of danger that went along with being who they were. Although he had been firm with them and had carefully imparted the expectations that the clan would place upon them, he had also been there to commiserate with them when the mores and rules of the clan clashed with their own feelings about how things should be. He and Renji had taught them to stand up for themselves and to be assertive, so Byakuya didn't worry so much about either noble council subjecting the twins to much opposition. Indeed, there was much excitement within the clan already. And as the next few years passed, the intensity of the mood would grow stronger.

The hiss of a flash step and the crash of striking blades, pulled the noble out of his reverie. Takeshi and Chisaki had broken away from Hajime and Takeo, who were now locked tightly in combat, their weapons drawn and blazing with power. As the twins flash stepped to where Renji and the other three children played in the brook, the two swordsmen circled, lunged, blocked and slashed at each other.

Hajime moved with the beauty and confidence of a dancer, his blue eyes bright and deeply focused as he read Takeo's movements almost before the younger shinigami made them. He could have taken the youth apart at will, but instead used his skill to coax Takeo out of his comfort zone, to challenge him and bring him to the peak of his ability. And Takeo rose to the challenge, meeting the more experienced swordsman with poise and strength. He was taller and more solidly built than Hajime, which meant the king's fiancée was faster, but when they locked their blades together, Takeo was able to take advantage of that weight difference to force Hajime back, which gave him room and time (barely enough) to release his weapon.

Takeo flash stepped clear of Hajime and loosed his shikai.

The shadow wolf exploded from his zanpakutou and shot forward, lunging at Hajime as the king's fiancée flash stepped repeatedly and released his own shikai. Even controlled, the effect was powerful. The shadow wolf shuddered as Hajime used the waves of intense sound to pummel the beast. Sensing that it would be overpowered, Takeo flash stepped away again.

"Ban kai, Kageookami Kuroyajuu no kasai!"

Takeshi and Chisaki turned and watched from beside the brook, catching their breath as the shadow wolf grew and turned on Hajime. The noble stood his ground as the beast raked him with blue fire. He disappeared into it for a moment, then emerged from it in ban kai form, blue light around him as he launched himself past the huge wolf and closed in on Takeo.

Takeo heard the death song begin in his mind and felt his body freeze in place. Hajime touched down lightly in front of him, his royal blue robes fluttering and his bluelit form so entrancing that Takeo felt mesmerized. In his hand, he held a slim, blue fire sword that he brought down to gently touch Takeo's chest.

Hajime smiled.

"That was excellent," he said, nodding with approval, "You forced me to release my ban kai. I wasn't planning to unless you made it necessary. You improve each time meet, it seems, Takeo."

Takeo grinned and sheathed his blade, turning as Takeshi and Chisaki flash stepped in his direction, chattering excitedly about their brother's new power. The elder Hajime sheathed his weapon and returned to Byakuya's side. He observed his quiet descendant for a long moment.

"You worry for them," he said matter-of-factly, "But Byakuya, they are different than we were. I was never meant to be a clan leader. I was criticized greatly for abandoning my duties as head of household, but in truth, I was only heading toward my destiny. You came to power in a difficult way, without the support usually provided by family. But Takeshi and Chisaki have been raised in a loving family. And you and Renji have done an excellent job of preparing them. While it is true that there will be a period of adjustment, I think they will weather it well."

Byakuya nodded.

"Yes, I believe they will. I do ache at what they will experience as they take on the responsibility. Their lives will change greatly, and no amount of preparation will make the shock of it disappear entirely."

"No," agreed Hajime, "But it will make things bearable. And those two are meant to be in those places. They have considerable power."

"Yes…but they are still my children."

Hajime's smile became nostalgic.

"His majesty says that quite often…about many of his creations. It comes with the territory, I think."

The two were quiet for a moment.

"Byakuya," Hajime said quietly, "Takeo is ready to advance as well. Despite his short time wielding ban kai, his power grows by leaps and bounds and his instincts are very sharp. He should be tested for a captain's position."

"Yes," agreed Byakuya, "but Renji is uncomfortable with the idea, and Takeo knows it. I do not think Renji means to hold him back, but it shook him when he nearly lost Takeo."

"Of course it did," said Hajime, "and even though he knows in his head that his son is ready, my grandson resists out of protectiveness."

"I have been holding off addressing it until the baby is born, but I will talk to him about it."

"I did not mean to interfere," Hajime assured him, "but I do believe that no one should be kept from his fate…even if he is fated to die. We are warriors…trained to fight for the things that matter. Takeo was given these powers so that he could use them to defend what matters to him. To deny him that would be to defy nature."

"I agree," Byakuya said softly, watching as Renji emerged from among the trees carrying young Hajime on his shoulders.

Akiko and Akane trailed after, filling their hands with wildflowers as they made their way back across the meadow. Takeshi and Chisaki lifted the toddlers onto their backs and carried them as they walked alongside Takeo. The adults followed the children down the trail, with the two horses tagging along behind.

"You sure you're up to so much walking, Bya?" Renji asked, "You look kinda tired."

"Walking is good for me," the noble assured him, "I am near enough to my due date to want to get things started."

"After the wedding, ne?" Renji said, smiling, "We can't miss that."

"No," agreed the noble.

"There wouldn't be a wedding if not for the two of you," said Hajime, meeting them out of the corner of one blue eye, "His majesty and I would never have been brought back together if you hadn't acted to clear my name, and then assisted in my return."

"Aw, maybe Bya helped," Renji said, "But I didn't do so much."

Hajime raised an eyebrow.

"You don't call fighting to protect his majesty from the corrupted queen and talisman as 'doing much?' I wonder at you sometimes, my grandson."

Renji laughed.

"You know, I will never get used to having a grandfather who looks like he could be Byakuya's little brother."

"Should I be insulted?" asked Hajime asked in an amused tone.

He broke off as they reached the dimension wall and passed through into the spirit realm. As soon as they passed through, Byakuya and Renji noticed a change in the elder Hajime. His reiatsu flared softly and his eyes turned to look in the direction of the palace.

"You have been away for awhile. You should ride ahead and go to him," suggested Byakuya.

"All in good time," Hajime said, calming his errant reiatsu forcefully, "His majesty and I will be reunited soon enough. He asked me to see you to the palace, and I'll not leave your side until we arrive."

"Quite the creature of discipline," Renji said under his breath as Hajime walked ahead with the children, "He's on his guard. I wonder why."

"Well," said Byakuya, "We do tend to get ourselves into an inordinate amount of trouble, ne?"

"Speak for yourself, Kuchiki!" Renji said, sounding offended, "You're the one who gets abducted, threatened or arrested every other day…"

"I didn't today."

Renji grinned.

"There's still time when we get to the palace. I'll be happy to bind your hands and interrogate you," he breathed on the noble's ear.

"How can you be thinking of having sex with me when I look like this?" Byakuya asked, looking down at his enlarged abdomen, "I'm huge."

"Well, you know," Renji said, slipping an arm around him and kissing him as they continued walking, "Challenge only makes me that much more determined."

"You're impossible, Abarai."

"I love you."

"I love you too."


	2. Unexpected Arrival

**Chapter 2: Unexpected Arrival**

**(Happy Father's Day to Bya, Ren and all of the dads out there! Girls, make your dads feel special today! I did…)**

Byakuya winced as a soft jolt of pain flashed through his midsection. His reiatsu flared fitfully, making him catch his breath softly and put a hand to his head to quell the dizziness that went along with it. He looked down from the shaded area where he had knelt to rest as Renji, Hajime and all of the children except Akiko and Akane had gone down to the brook to cool their feet in the water and gather wild berries to eat with their lunch. Akiko slept soundly on the blanket they had laid down, and Akane contented herself picking flowers and sprinkling them on her sleeping sister. Akane paused as Byakuya placed a hand on his abdomen and groaned softly, breathing through the rising pain.

"Oh…oh this is very bad timing, little one," he sighed, "You couldn't wait until we at least reached the castle, ne?"

"Daddy Bya sick?" Akane asked, crawling to his side.

"N-no, Akane. I am not sick," he told the toddler, "I am going to have a baby…sooner than expected, it seems."

Akane's eyes widened and she scrambled closer and placed a hand on Byakuya's swollen abdomen. A strong kick under her palm made her giggle as Byakuya groaned again and sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Who's misbehaving up here?" Renji asked cheerfully, flash stepping into view and dropping down on the blanket, "I could feel the reiatsu flares from all the way over there."

He smiled at Akane.

"Is he causing trouble again, Akane?" he asked.

"No," the toddler said, shaking her red curls, "Daddy Bya having a baby!"

Renji chuckled, then took a closer look at his oddly quiet life partner and caught his breath in surprise.

"Can't stay out of trouble for a second, can you?" he asked, smiling and moving closer.

"Well, at least I wasn't abducted, threatened or arrested," said the noble, panting softly as another pain flared inside him.

"Is everything all right?" asked the elder Hajime from behind Renji.

"Oh yeah," said Renji, "Everything's fine…but, uh, I think we should plan on staying here for a while. It seems my lovely spouse has decided that this would be a good place to nest and have his litter."

"How dare you!" snapped Byakuya, "I am not a cat. And this is just one! And I have no control over where I am when labor strikes. You know that, Abarai!"

"Hey," said Renji, laughing, "Cool your jets. I was just kidding. And calm that reiatsu. It's warm enough here without you heating things up even more!"

"I think I'll go down to the brook and wet a washcloth for his face," offered the elder Hajime.

"What's happening?" asked Takeshi, with Chisaki peeking around from behind him.

"It seems that you are about to gain a new brother or sister," said elder Hajime, smiling.

"It's time for the baby to be born?" asked Younger Hajime, flash stepping to Byakuya's side, "I know what to do. Captain Unohana had me practice so that I could help!"

"Well, then get over here," said Renji, "because it looks like this is going to happen now!"

"Oh," panted Byakuya, "I don't know. It could be a while."

"I don't think so," Renji said, wrapping an arm around him, "Your reiatsu is sparking all over the place."

"That…may be," Byakuya said, "but it can take several hours for things to transition from this to delivery."

"Well, I guess you'd know better than me, ne?" Renji chuckled, "Okay guys, let's get ready for this. Takeshi and Takeo, you are on 'pretty little red-haired girl' detail. Watch Akiko and Akane and make sure they don't go off slaying hollows while we're busy here. Chisaki, use those wings to fly a message to the king to tell him we'll be delayed. I'll assist little godling, here and grandpa?"

"That still sounds so odd…" commented elder Hajime, "Just call me Hajime."

"What?" said young Hajime, looking up and grinning.

"Very funny," said Renji, smacking the boy lightly on the arm, "Do your job, kid. And don't drop the baby when it pops out, ne?"

"Abarai!" objected Byakuya.

"Sorry," laughed Renji, "couldn't help it."

"Well, do try."

"Ah, right. Hajime…_elder _Hajime, you make sure nothing disturbs the peace while our baby makes his…"

"Or her," said Byakuya.

"…_or her_ entrance," finished Renji.

Young Hajime raised a translucent shield around Byakuya, Renji and himself as Chisaki shifted to hawk form and shot through the sky towards the castle. Takeo sat down with Akane bouncing on his lap and babbling excitedly, and Takeshi held a sleepy and blinking Akiko and encouraged her to watch.

"This is how we get a little brother or sister," he told the girl.

"I want 'nuther_ sister_!" announced Akiko.

"No," said Akane, "I want 'nuther _brother_!"

"I'm with Akane," said Takeshi, jokingly, "Any more _girls_ in this house and we might as well be the _Shihoin_ clan."

"Bite your tongue," said Takeo, "Some of those _girls_ could wallop you, little _wolf_!"

"Hey, your wolf may be bigger, but I'll take you on any day!"

"Yeah, and you'd lose, especially now that I have ban kai."

"Hey, kids, knock it off," Renji said, throwing a handful of stray flowers, "We're trying to have a baby here…"

"Sorry," said Takeo, "but anyway, I like little girls. You might not get to wrestle with them, but then…hey, you got beat in a wrestling match with Chisaki."

"_Ooh!_" Takeo said, his reiatsu flaring.

He forcibly held his voice down.

"That was _one_ time! Once! And you cheated and helped her!"

"I was coaching," said Takeo, shrugging, "She still pinned you."

"Shut up."

"Shut up," repeated Akane, smacking Takeo on the leg.

"Hey, you should be glad I put him in his place, squirt. He insulted you girls."

Akane's eyes flared.

"I don't _like_ salt!" she yelled.

"Okay, shoot!" Takeshi said, grabbing her and placing a hand over her mouth, "Don't yell. You'll get us into trouble."

He gasped softly and drew his hand back, shaking it and looking surprised.

"She _bit_ me!"

"Akane," Byakuya panted, "Daddy Ren and I told you, _no biting!_"

Akane's eyes widened and clouded up. She sniffed several times, then dissolved into tears. Akiko looked at her sister appraisingly, then began to cry as well.

"Great," sighed Takeshi, reaching over to pick up his non-biting sibling, while Takeo comforted Akane.

"Are we under control now?" asked Renji, his reiatsu flaring softly in annoyance, "Do we need Grandpa to…"

"_Hajime_."

"…elder _Hajime_, then, to whip out his ban kai and turn you all into smoking piles of dust?"

"I beg your pardon," said the elder Hajime, primly, "The death song is the most elegant and beautiful death a shinigami, hollow or human can experience. It does not 'reduce victims to a pile of smoking embers.' That would be _your _Zabimaru, if I remember correctly."

"All right, all right…" said Renji, turning back to Byakuya, "You kids just quiet down and let poor Bya breathe!"

"I am breathing just fine," Byakuya said placidly, "and actually, their bantering makes me feel more 'normal.' It helps keep my mind off of the pain."

"Look, I'm glad you feel that way," Renji said, frowning, "but don't go and _invite _those kids to misbehave, okay? They're enough of a handful, without you encouraging them."

"That's the _Abarai_ blood in them, ne?" said Byakuya, earning a scowl from the redhead.

"That's not nice, _you_!" Renji snapped, "And it's fine you blaming _me_ for their antics, when you were just as misbehaving as a kid!"

"The difference is…that _I _grew up!"

"_HEY!_" Renji yelled.

"Daddy Ren?" said young Hajime.

Renji ignored the boy.

"Don't go into that whole 'Peter Pan' psychological crap-fest, okay?"

"Daddy Ren?"

"I grew up, too! And I took care of other kids while I grew up! I didn't live in a pretty house with a bunch of slaves wiping my ass for me!"

"I never allowed slaves to attend to my personal hygiene."

"Fine! But stop saying I never grew up! It's damned irritating!"

"That's potty mouth, Daddy Ren," young Hajime corrected him.

"Yeah? Cover your ears, kid."

"Renji…" said Byakuya disarming the redhead's fury with a fleeting smile.

"What? Oh…oh don't give me those eyes, Bya! You are in the middle of having a baby. That is _really_ unfair!"

"I wasn't making eyes at you," Byakuya said, squeezing his hand and bringing it to his lips, "Hajime was trying to tell you that the baby is coming."

"Wha-? Now?" Renji said, turning his head to look.

"Yes," young Hajime said, placing his hands on Byakuya's abdomen and letting his eyes glow golden.

Renji abandoned the argument and let his hands rest on Byakuya's belly near Hajime's. The two lowered their eyes and focused as Byakuya's abdomen took on a deep, lovely white glow that brightened steadily. Akane and Akiko ceased their crying and leaned forward, watching intently. The elder Hajime's eyes softened beautifully.

"Now, watch closely, Hajime," Renji said, smiling over his shoulder at the king's fiancée, "because next time, it will be _you_ doing this…"

Hajime didn't answer, but his blue eyes darkened sweetly and he watched in fascination as Byakuya panted softly and watched the light around his abdomen brighten.

"We didn't get to see this with the girls," the noble said softly.

"I remember," Renji said, squeezing his hand, "You were a mess…and we almost lost you _and_ Akiko."

Byakuya smiled.

"I wasn't going to leave you, Renji. I will never leave you. You know that."

Renji nodded.

"Where you go, I go…and where I go, you go. No one leaves."

"No one leaves," Byakuya repeated as Renji leaned over to kiss him.

"Here it comes," announced young Hajime, letting his golden reiatsu wrap around the cluster of reiatsu that flared softly and slowly began to emerge from Byakuya's abdomen.

Chisaki swooped down, returning from her mission to the palace, and she took shinigami form next to Takeshi.

"You're just in time," Takeshi told his twin.

All eyes watched as the reiatsu cluster rose out of Byakuya and settled into Renji's waiting hands. Young Hajime leaned over the cluster, encircling it with his power as it pulsed gently and gradually resolved into the shape of a tiny baby boy with wide, dark eyes and a lovely shock of wild red hair. He squirmed in Renji's hands, squawking and starting to cry, then finding his fingers and sucking on them to soothe himself.

"Oh," sighed Chisaki, "He is so cute!"

She turned to her twin, grinning.

"I guess that's kind of what _you_ looked like before you grew up, lost your cuteness, and became annoying…"

"Shut up," Takeshi muttered, grinning, "He and I are going to have _so _much fun tormenting you and those evil girl twins! There are more of _us_ now."

"Ah…" said Byakuya, shifting uncomfortably, "I think I…Hajime, would you mind checking again. It's strange, but I still feel something moving."

"That could just be your insides returning to normal," commented Renji, "And anyway, I thought we agreed seven was enough."

Young Hajime turned back to examine his father's abdomen, then smiled widely and let his power flow into the area a second time.

"I think we have a change of plans," he said, his intonation a perfect rendition of Byakuya's.

Renji caught his breath sharply.

"Y-you mean, there's another in there?"

Hajime laughed and raised his power, watching as Byakuya's abdomen glowed white and a second reiatsu began to emerge.

"What is it with us and twins?" Renji said, grinning.

"I imagine you just get overzealous with the fertilization," Byakuya suggested, panting through a jolt of pain and watching as Renji handed their newborn son to the elder Hajime and turned back to assist with the next birth.

Hajime carried the baby to where Byakuya had laid down his pack and withdrew a small blanket, which he wrapped around the infant. He returned to the others and stood in the cool shade, breathing in the sweet scents of flowers, grass, fresh water and baby. The baby in his arms cooed and reached up to touch his lips. He kissed the tiny digits softly and smiled almost dreamily, thinking.

_Soon…_

He watched in silence as the second reiatsu settled into Renji's hands and the smile on the redhead's face somehow grew. Takeo and Chisaki laughed softly and Takeshi pretended to scowl as the second baby was revealed to be an even more petite little girl who looked like a tiny, female copy of Byakuya…except for her gentle red-brown eyes. She didn't cry at all, but simply looked up into Renji's pleased expression and grabbed his offered finger.

"Oh," said Byakuya wearily, "Just born and already beginning to wrap you around her delicate little finger, ne?"

Renji leaned over and silenced his soul bonded with a slow, sweet kiss.

"Well, if she is, then it's your fault. You've had me wrapped around your finger for ages. I can't resist either one of you…"

"And that sentiment is returned in full," Byakuya whispered, closing his eyes and sighing in relief.

"Hajime," Renji said to their son, "Is that all of them?"

"Yes, that is the last baby," Hajime announced, sitting back and looking nearly as tired as Byakuya.

Renji laughed and patted him on the back.

"Well done," he said softly, "I don't know that Captain Unohana could have done better. Now, go and lie down. She said that you would need to rest afterwards."

Hajime nodded and crawled away to where Akiko and Akane were settling down and beginning to drift off. The elder Hajime turned his head in the direction of the palace.

"The Royal Guard is approaching," he said quietly, "They will carry us the rest of the way to the palace."

"Good," sighed Byakuya, "I think we've had enough exertion for one day…"


	3. Reconnecting

**Chapter 3: Reconnecting**

"Your babies are in perfect health," the king's healer assured Byakuya and Renji, "And you look fine as well."

He smiled at the wide-eyed baby girl he held and handed her back to Renji. Byakuya held their son as he sucked hungrily at his bottle, his wide gray eyes fixed on Byakuya and the ends of his red hair flaring softly, like fire.

"How does he do that?" asked Renji.

The healer watched as the red-gold hair flickered and danced.

"I'd say it's an early indication of his power. This one will be quite a handful, I think."

"Great," Renji sighed, kissing the baby girl on the forehead, "At least little sister is pretty easygoing. She'll balance him."

He glanced at Byakuya as the baby boy pulled away from the bottle and squawked noisily, making their more stoic daughter cloud up and begin to cry.

"Ah, kami," sighed Renji, "Already, it begins. I sure hope those extra attendants get here soon. Between the twin girls and these two, Bya and I are outnumbered."

"Oh, quit your complaining, Abarai," Byakuya said, smirking and patting the boy on the back until he emitted a loud burp and then reached for his bottle again, "We'll be fine. You certainly have lost your Rukon approach to childcare, ne?"

"We never had so many loud-mouthed little squirts at once. There weren't that many babies, you know? We maybe had one or, at most two in a group, so it wasn't so many at once."

"You've gotten spoiled," Byakuya said reprovingly, "I should send you back to the Rukon for a reminder of what really difficult life is."

"All right, all right," laughed Renji, shaking his head, "I guess I am kinda spoiled. But it's your fault, you know. You took me into that beautiful manor and I forgot all about survival. All I could think of was how good it feels to wrap myself around you…"

He moved closer, leaning over the noble's shoulder to breathe into a pale ear.

"To hold you so tight you can't get away from me…to kiss you until we're both breathless…"

Byakuya stared into his life partner's flickering red-brown eyes, his own filling with intense hunger. The old healer smiled, shook his head and stepped out of the room as Renji sat down facing his noble lover. He leaned forward and brought their lips together. They held the babies carefully between their leaning bodies, letting their lips caress each other's, gazing at each other through half-lidded eyes. They kept their eyes locked tightly on one another's, even as the attendants took the babies from their arms and they left the healing center to walk back to their guest room. Byakuya had barely stepped inside, when Renji's weight fell against him, forcing him back into the door, which slammed shut behind him. He barely had the presence of mind to lock the door as Renji's hot body pressed hard against his, and the redhead's mouth roughly claimed his.

"Gods," Renji gasped between hungry, wet kisses, "Bya. I want you so bad! It's been too damned long! Ah…hah…oh hell, this feels so fucking good! Are you sure you're…you know, up to this? You…you just had twins!"

Byakuya sank into his mouth hungrily, plundering it shamelessly until the redhead laid, moaning heatedly and quivering in the noble's arms.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Renji groaned happily, "Only a half day recovery then…then this? Kami, Bya! You're crazy!"

"We've barely touched each other for nearly a month!" Byakuya complained, plunging into the redhead's mouth again, "I think we definitely need to make up for that."

"Augh!" Renji groaned, "We can't do this now! We're gonna have kids running in and out of here…"

"The children have been set to an important task," Byakuya said, running his tongue up the redhead's throat, then biting down suddenly and making the redhead jump in surprise.

"Shit! Don't draw blood…ah…ah shit, that feels…so damned…good. Hey, uh…Bya?"

"Mmmmmm?" Byakuya moaned, sucking hard at his lover's throat and licking his way along the length of a collarbone.

"Ow!" the redhead squawked, pulling away, "Wh-what is the task?"

"Hmmm?"

Byakuya's tongue brushed over a dusky nipple and Renji nearly forgot what he was saying.

"Th-the…oh…oh, gods…the uh…task…the kids are…"

"Forget it."

"Mmmmmmm. Okay…"

His fingers sank into the silken black lengths of Byakuya's hair as the noble brushed his lips along the tattoos on his chest, then lazily explored them with a mixture of graceful white fingertips and a devilishly hot tongue.

"You feel kinda hot. You're not, uh, running a fever, ne?" asked the redhead, earning a warning glare, "Shoot…Just asking."

Renji's words faded into deep, contented moans as Byakuya's mouth descended on the soft tattooed flesh of his stomach and between that hungry mouth and the relentless stroking fingertips, Renji began to lose himself in the pleasure. His mouth went dry and his member twitched warningly, leaking furiously as Byakuya brushed against it on the way to attacking the golden tanned skin of the redhead's inner thighs. His fingers dug in, making Renji catch his breath and swear softly as pain and pleasure mixed in a lovely heady twist in mind and body.

"Sh-shit, Bya!" he moaned, "This is going to be over before…"

He groaned loudly and his swollen member leaked more furiously as Byakuya cheek brushed against the flushed shaft.

"Oh…fuck…fuck, would you just…just…?"

He sucked in a sharp breath as that wonderful mouth wrapped around him. He might have climaxed then and there, but for the tightening of Byakuya's hand.

"Oh…Oh…OH, that's…that's n-not…f-fair! Damn it! OH! Ah…ah…you fucking tease!"

Renji felt a dark blush on his face as he stared down at his lover's pretty, placid face as Byakuya closed his eyes and licked his sensitive skin until the redhead was shaking and the noble had to hold one trembling hip to keep Renji from thrusting. Byakuya's mouth continued to pleasure him as his fingers teased him, dragging something between a snarl and a howl from deep in his throat. A dark, mischievous gray eye fixed on him as the noble repeated the combination of suction and stimulation of the pleasure center and Renji's hips rose off the bed. The sound that came out of him this time was less controlled, almost threatening. Byakuya's hand released the redhead, and he ran his fingernails down the sensitive inner thighs as Renji loosed a scream of pleasure and nearly launched off the bed. Byakuya closed his eyes and smiled, swallowing repeatedly and Renji gasped and swore and climaxed violently. He fell back, panting and sweating, his head spinning and his eyes barely able to see as Byakuya crawled back into his arms and fell on his mouth again.

"Not…mmmmmmm even going to…let me…return the favor, ne?" he asked weakly.

"No," replied the noble, sitting up and reaching for a bottle of massage oil.

He poured a small amount onto his hands and began to work it into the redhead's skin. Renji sighed contentedly as his lover's soft hands rubbed and caressed his shoulders and chest. He moaned and his eyelids fluttered as it struck him that the oil warmed under Byakuya's moving hands. The noble sat up and gazed down at the lovely, exotic spectacle of golden skin, dark and hypnotic patterns, the damp red curls and wet, flushed arousal. His hands slid slowly down either side of the redhead's lean, muscular torso and Renji felt a shiver at what he saw igniting in the noble's eyes. He had only a moment to think about it, then he was being forcefully turned onto his stomach and the warm, nicely scented oil was dripping onto his back.

Renji sighed and closed his eyes, though he was not quite able to relax fully, knowing he could get pounced on at any moment by his love-starved soul bonded. Byakuya's fingers dug into the muscles of his shoulders and back, both relaxing and teasing, comforting and taunting. The warm, massaging hands slid down his back and followed his ribs around the sides of his body, then stroked their way down to his rounded bottom, where they curved around and roamed down the backs of his thighs before lifting away.

Renji caught his breath and lost it again as Byakuya's body settled against his back, the noble's thick erection rubbing against the slick, oiled skin of his tattooed bottom. The raven-haired shinigami buried his face in the thick, red lengths of his hair and Byakuya breathed in deeply, growling hungrily and rubbing more insistently against the redhead's backside. Renji's hands clenched the sheets and he quivered in anticipation as Byakuya's hand pulled the hair away from the back of his neck and the noble's biting mouth assaulted the area, leaving him panting and flushed…and hard as a rock again.

He raised his bottom, enjoying the heat of his lover's wet member as it continued to rub against his bottom and lower back. And the hard press of Byakuya's hips pushed his down, creating pleasant friction between the redhead's awakened length and the bed. Byakuya lifted himself and let his hands run down the length of Renji's back, coaxing the redhead into lifting himself onto his hands and knees. Byakuya's body came down again, trapping Renji's beneath it as Renji's head turned and their mouths met for a blinding rush of hot, wet kisses. The graceful fingers of one hand sank into Renji's hair and took hold as Byakuya lifted himself again and the wetted fingers of his other hand slid down and began a slow preparation. The noble nipped and sucked at the back of his lover's neck, eliciting low sounds of arousal from the redhead. He lowered his head slightly, enjoying the pulling on his hair and the deep thrusting of his soul bonded's probing fingers. After several wonderfully erotic minutes in that state, Byakuya's fingers retreated and the noble positioned himself between Renji's parted thighs.

Byakuya's fingers tightened in his hair again as the noble brought his swollen member to the redhead's wet entrance. He entered slowly, taking his lover in short, measured thrusts. Renji lowered his head, moaning as the fingers in his hair tightened again and Byakuya thrust in the rest of the way. Byakuya's fingers loosened and let the long red strands fall down into his back. Renji could feel the dark gray eyes looking down at him and the noble's erotic hunger taking over. He moved his hips and heard Byakuya moan heatedly. The noble's hips began to thrust and the fingers that had been holding his hair, wrapped around the redhead's length, stroking him in time with his lover's movements. Everything else seemed to fade away around Renji, except for the harder and faster thrusts, the hand that gripped and stroked him, the sounds of Byakuya's panting moans and the feel of the noble's released breaths tickling his back. Byakuya shifted slightly and struck the pleasure center inside the redhead, making Renji lower his head and raise his hips as his hands gripped the sheets tightly. He felt pleasure overtaking him as Byakuya pushed in hard and the noble's release filled him in hot, breathtaking spurts. Byakuya dropped onto his back and Renji let his body collapse. He moaned happily as his own release spilled out beneath them and the two were left, panting and quivering on the bed.

They caught their breath slowly, then Byakuya slid off of the redhead's back and nuzzled into his arms. They fell to exchanging a sweet barrage of deep, penetrating kisses as they drifted off to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji felt Byakuya's hair tickling his cheek and opened his eyes. He squinted and blinked sleepily.

"Ugh…don't wanna get up. Mmm too comfortable," he grumbled as Byakuya nudged him more awake, "Wh-what? What is it?"

"It's nearly time to meet the king, Hajime, your father and the children for dinner," the noble said quietly, "We should shower."

Renji grunted and rolled over, turning his back on his lover.

"Leave me the hell alone. We're not working. I can sleep through dinner if I want to, right?"

"Not when the spirit king is in attendance. You may well be his grandson, but that doesn't excuse you from showing good manners. Get up, Abarai!"

"Augh, I think I liked it better when I was just the Rukon mongrel…" he muttered, dragging himself to his feet.

"It figures," Byakuya chuckled, slipping a hand into his and accompanying him into the bathing room.

They waded out into the warm water and stood beneath the waterfall out on the far side of the bathing pool, breathing in the tranquil scents of the flowers and grass and then indulging in another bout of kissing. They rubbed soap thickly onto each others' bodies, then let their hands roam over each other as the water washed it away again.

Renji's red-brown eyes peeked out from under the lengths of wet, red hair and found Byakuya's looking back affectionately. The redhead backed his lover up against the rock wall beneath the waterfall, trapping him there and working his way in between the noble's slender, white thighs. He ran a hand down his lover's side and over one soft buttock, catching his leg and lifting it to wrap around him. He wet his fingers and slowly prepared Byakuya's body, then took him in slow, languid thrusts as the rush of splashing water continued all around them. The noble's head tilted back and Renji's mouth attacked the pale throat as his hips thrust in harder and faster, quickly leaving the two breathless again. The redhead's hand found the noble's hardness and slid up and down his length as their pleasure rose and slowly peaked. Hot seed erupted onto his hand and Byakuya moaned and sighed in contentment. Renji pushed deep inside him and held onto the noble's hips as his release began and he filled his lover with hot seed. He fell against the noble and the two dropped down into the water, still kissing. They remained there for several minutes, resting quietly in each others' arms.

"You know, Bya," Renji commented, "That's got to be the quickest recovery I've ever seen. I can't believe you just delivered twins…"

"Well, it's easier than it was when I had Akane and Akiko. It doesn't affect my body so much."

"I'm glad…although, if we don't want to end up with too many kids to manage, we should probably…"

"I told you, Renji," Byakuya said, nuzzling beneath his chin, "I would have a million children with you. I love you."

"I love you too," the redhead said, kissing and nipping at the noble's lips, "but come on…we have two sets of twins and one's barely out of diapers."

"So?"

"So…ah," he began, then he saw the lovely, sweet look in his soul bonded's eyes, "So…I guess we're gonna have a million kids, ne? Sheesh, it's a good thing we can afford attendants…"

Byakuya laughed softly.

"We don't need to have any more children, Renji. I was teasing you."

"Smartass…" Renji muttered, pulling a towel down and snapping it at him.

They climbed out of the bathing pool and dried off then returned to their room and dressed. Hand in hand, they left the bedroom and made their way to the smaller banquet room the royal family used for their regular meals. Byakuya opened the door and Renji walked in, then froze as he was greeted with a sea of happy raised voices.

"Happy Birthday Dad!" the older children cried.

"Happy Birthday, Daddy Red!" squawked Akane and Akiko.

Renji stared, his eyes locked on his father's and tearing as he realized.

_I never even knew when my birthday really was…_

_But he knows._

_Damn…it's the first time I've been with my father on my real birthday…_

Akemi stood and waited quietly as Renji made his way across the room, hugging and kissing each child, then wrapping his arms around his father and hugging him tightly.

"Thank you," he said softly, "This means _everything _to me!"

"You're welcome," Akemi said, returning the embrace, "I'm just glad I recovered enough of my mind to remember what I lost while I was trapped inside that hollow. But even if I didn't, I'll always remember the day you came along."

"Now, I will too," said Renji, grinning.

Renji rejoined Byakuya and the family sat down and quickly devoured the meal set before them. They had just finished singing 'Happy Birthday' to Renji, and were ready to cut the cake, when a hell butterfly fluttered in and floated over to Byakuya.

"Captain Kuchiki," said the head captain's voice, "I know that you are on leave, but there has been a disturbance in the area your division was monitoring. Rikichi went to explore the area, but was injured and rendered unconscious, and his two subordinates were killed, so we do not know what happened. I need you to enter the area, but only far enough for reconnaissance…and you should take several officers with you. I am sorry to ask this, but you are the only one who has been in the area recently and would be able to sense the changes in environment. Please see to this matter as soon as possible."

"What?" said Renji, shaking his head, "He can't be serious."

"But Rikichi is hurt!" Chisaki said, her dark eyes filling with tears, "Hotaru must be beside herself!"

"We'll go with Dad," Takeshi assured Renji, "We'll make sure nothing harms him."

"I am fine," Byakuya insisted, "It might have been a problem if I was still with child, but…"

"Bullshit," Renji said quietly, "I can sense your reiatsu is low…and besides, you had company when you went there…remember?"

"Ah," said Byakuya, blushing slightly, "I think I was 'visited' while I was on that mission. But I'm fine, Renji."

"I know that area as well as you do," Renji said firmly, "I was there too…and I didn't just give birth. Let me go instead of you."

"But…"

"Byakuya, please."

The noble looked into his soul bonded's eyes, reading the genuine concern. He hesitated, then sighed softly.

"Oh, very well. Just be sure that you take appropriate backup. We do not know what Rikichi ran into, but anything that could injure him is worth being wary of."

"Okay."

"Chisaki and I know that area. We'll go along too," said Takeshi.

"I'll go along too," said Takeo, "I have to keep an eye on my captain."

"Is that enough support?" Renji asked, grinning.

"It will be if I join you," said Hajime.

"Actually, that would be like overkill, ne?" laughed Renji, "but hey, aren't you two supposed to be planning your rescheduled wedding?"

"It's all planned," said Hajime, shrugging, "We can set the new date when we get back."

"I guess it's set then," said Renji, "We'll leave in the morning.


	4. Do Not Let Go

**Chapter 4: Do Not Let Go**

Renji took the piece of birthday cake Byakuya offered him and followed the noble over to where Akemi sat with Akane on one knee and Akiko on the other. Young Hajime leaned sleepily against his side and Takeshi and Chisaki sat cross-legged in front of him. Elder Hajime reclined comfortably in the king's arms where the two relaxed against a large pile of pillows near the fireplace. Takeo rested on his stomach, taking bites of cake as he listened to Akemi.

"My wife's name was Chiasa," Akemi told them, "She was the daughter of the richest man in Inuzuri…who, as you know, would still be a _terribly_ poor man anywhere else, but to us, he was wealthy. Chiasa's father worked very hard to provide for his family, and he wanted that when his daughter reached marrying age, for her to leave Inuzuri and make a better life, using the money he scrimped and saved.

Chiasa was a very intelligent girl, who liked to work with younger children. So, to help her father provide for the family, she began to assist in teaching at the local school. It was there that I met her. I had a gift for making things grow, so had been made groundskeeper for the school. Well, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was the prettiest girl I ever saw! I decided then and there that I was going to marry her.

There was a lovely little area near town…a place where low hills surrounded a small valley. When I found it, it was rather scraggly and poor looking. But I used my gifts for growing things and made the trees grow tall and proud, the grasses turn green and flowers grow everywhere. And back in the trees, I built a little house near a small river. It took several months to finish, but I was very proud of it when it was done. I brought Chiasa to the place and watched her pretty face light up as she took it all in. And while she was smiling and happy like that, I asked her to marry me and to live with me there."

"And did she say yes?" asked young Hajime, "She must have if she became your wife."

"Well, I wish it had been that easy. She told me that she would love to marry me and live there, but that her father wanted her to move away from Inuzuri so that she would not have to be poor. I would have to convince her father to let me have her hand in marriage.

Chiasa's father was not a bad man, but he wanted to make sure that the man who married his daughter was suitable, so he said that if I wanted to marry his daughter, I had to prove my worthiness for her by doing what was best for her and convincing her to leave Inuzuri with me. He knew I didn't have the money and that I would be trapped.

I agonized over what to do, but finally decided that the only way to make enough money to leave Inuzuri was to sell the home I had built for us. I asked Chiasa what she thought and she dissolved into tears at the thought of leaving my precious gift to her behind. But Chiasa loved me so she agreed I should sell the house so that we could be together. The house was well made and sold quickly, and Chiasa's father gave his permission for us to get married. We were sad that we would be moving away, but it meant more to us to be together.

Our wedding day came and we forgot our sadness about losing our home and we ebraced the happiness of being together. We said our vows and celebrated with our family and friends, then it came time for speeches. Chiasa's father stood up…and he was smiling widely. He had me come to him and he handed me the deed to the house I had built and he revealed that _he_ had secretly bought the house. He had put me in the position to have to sell it, because he wanted us to embrace our love, not property or things…and when he saw how much we loved each other, he was very pleased and he gave us back the home I had built, and didn't even mind that Chiasa did not leave Inuzuri. Because his daughter had more than just a more comfortable life. She had true love. One year later, just as the summer leaves on the trees around our house were showing the first signs of change, Chiasa gave birth to a beautiful baby boy…a boy who had red hair like fire, and a cry that sounded like a little wolf howling!"

"It was Daddy Ren!" shouted young Hajime.

"Daddy Red! Daddy Red!" chorused Akane and Akiko, running to Renji and jumping on the grinning redhead.

Renji fell back onto the pillows behind him, lifting Akane up into the air over him as Akiko fell onto his chest squealing, "Me too! Me too! I want to fly!" Renji brought Akane down for a kiss on the cheek, then lifted up Akiko and brought her down for a kiss.

"And a hug?" asked the pretty red-haired girl.

Renji gave her a squeeze, prompting an immediate objection from her twin.

"Me too!" yelled Akane.

"See what you've started…" Byakuya commented, smirking, "We'll be hugging them all night and getting no sleep ourselves, ne?"

Renji hugged Akane.

"Nuther hug?" asked Akiko.

"I told you," said Byakuya.

"Eh, I can think of worse things," the redhead chuckled, hugging both girls.

"Again! Again!" the girls cried.

"Why don't you give Daddy Bya a hug?" Renji asked

Byakuya barely managed to move their cake out of the way before being tackled by small bodies and a sea of red curls. They disentangled themselves from Byakuya and charged at Takeo, laughing and squealing as they bowled him over, then moved on to Chisaki and Takeshi. Young Hajime took cover behind Akemi as the twin girls scampered after him.

"Um I think you're next," Renji warned elder Hajime and the king.

"Are they supposed to tackle the spirit king?" asked young Hajime, watching as Akane and Akiko climbed off of a fallen and smiling Akemi and closed on the royal couple. Hajime smiled widely as the king's hand moved and the two girls screamed in delight as they were lifted off the floor and gently levitated, then brought down into the arms of Hajime and the king. A soft, golden light wrapped around them and the squealing girls quieted and kissed the king and his fiancée on the cheek before yawning sleepily and curling up in their arms.

"Okay," laughed Renji, "I _definitely _need to get that power. Can I have that power?

"Are you prepared to take on managing the three worlds?" Byakuya asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah…" Renji sighed, "I guess I'd better get used to being body tackled. They'll uh, grow out of that, right?"

"Perhaps," Byakuya said, smirking.

"All right kids," said Renji, "Time for bed."

He watched in amusement as the king extended a palm and a small path of iridescent bubbles appeared. Young Hajime and the two girls giggled and followed the trail of bubbles, popping them as they were led off to their bedrooms. Takeshi and Chisaki followed the younger children, lazily popping the bubbles that the smaller children had left behind.

"We should probably turn in now, too," yawned Renji, "Have to be up early."

"And I am certain the little ones will have me up early enough to say goodbye," Byakuya said, rising with the redhead and wishing the others a good night, "I still don't feel quite right about you going instead of me. I'm really fine. It's not as though I'd be going into the valley there. Likely, I'd have Takeo and Takeshi study the area from the perimeter and have Chisaki fly at a safe distance over. I could pull her clear if there should be trouble."

"I can do that," Renji assured him as they moved towards their bedroom, "and you can figure out what to name the little ones, so that I know who I'm yelling at when I get back."

"I've already given it some thought and talked a bit with the other children," said Byakuya, opening the door and waiting as Renji entered the bedroom.

"Oh? What did you come up with?"

"We thought that we might name the girl Kohana…'little flower.' We considered Hanako, but it was too close to Rangiku's Haineko," Byakuya said wryly.

"Ah," chuckled Renji, "You're right. I like Kohana better anyway. But, ah…"

"Hmmm?"

"But listening to my dad tonight, when he was talking about my mom…I didn't even know her name before."

"And you would to name our daughter after her?" Byakuya asked, smiling, "I think that's a lovely idea, Renji. One of the first things that Akemi said when he picked her up, was that her face reminded him of his late wife."

"Then, that's okay with you?"

Byakuya nodded.

"I think it is a very appropriate way to honor them."

So Chiasa and…what about the little boy with the hair that looks like it's on fire and the temper that makes me look like a kitten?"

"We could not decide between Kehonoo, 'blazing hair' and Kisho, 'knows his own mind.'"

"Why not Yakkaigoto…trouble? That's what he'll be in, Bya, you know it is," Renji laughed, "He's not yet two days old and already driving his handlers crazy, ne?"

"Handlers?" Byakuya objected, "Renji, they are attendants…and he's not that much trouble. He always quiets down for me. It's only you who sets him off like that."

"Yeah, sure. But you know, I think I'm going to be safer tomorrow checking out that valley than you'll be feeding and changing that kid!"

"That is quite enough," Byakuya said frowning, "If you disparage our child anymore, you'll sleep in the gardens alone tonight!"

"Aww, you wouldn't throw your soul bonded, who's about to go risk his life on a dangerous mission out into the cold, ne? Come on, I was just kidding, Bya!"

Byakuya raised an eyebrow.

"I can't believe I gave you such a nice birthday present…and you _insult _our newborn!"

"I was _kidding_! You're not really mad about that, eh? Really?"

"Hmmm," said Byakuya, narrowing his eyes, "I might be…but perhaps you could talk me out of it…if you are convincing."

"Talk…" Renji muttered, frowning, "Talk is what usually gets me _into_ trouble, not what gets me _out_ of it."

He turned and placed his hands against the wall, trapping the noble in the circle of his arms.

"You sure you want to _talk_? I'm much better at more _physical_ forms of apology…"

"First, you name our son," Byakuya said, glaring softly, "Then we can talk about apologies."

Renji grinned.

"Okay…I like Kisho…'knows his own mind.'"

"And like his red-haired father, expresses it, appropriate or not."

"That's mean, Bya."

"Sue me."

"I'd much rather kiss you," said Renji, leaning forward and bringing their mouths together for a torrent of deep, open-mouthed kisses.

He held the noble tightly against the wall, invading his mouth hungrily until he felt Byakuya's knees weaken, then lifted him off his feet and carried him to the bed, still kissing him. He laid the noble down on the bed and loosed the tie at his waist, then opened his top, spreading it out on the bed around him and baring him to the waist.

"Kami, I love it when you wear red!" he sighed.

"That's why I wear it so often," Byakuya said, his skin flushing as Renji's eyes raked over his revealed flesh.

Renji took hold of the other man's hakama and slid it slowly downward, following the trail of fine black hairs down to his blushing member, lingering on the soft, white thighs and teasing his lover's sensitive feet as the clothing dropped to the floor at the foot of the bed. He climbed back onto the bed and knelt next to the noble for a moment, breathing in his scent and enjoying the way his skin glowed in the softer light of the moon.

"Are you going sit there staring at me all night, or are you going to join me, Renji?" Byakuya asked quietly.

"In a minute," the redhead replied, taking his time undressing himself, while also enjoying the sight of his lover spread out naked on their bed, "Why? Are you in a hurry?"

"No," the noble replied, "Just a bit cold."

Renji grinned.

"I can fix that," he offered.

"I was hoping you would," Byakuya said, slipping a hand into his as the redhead laid down on top of him.

"Warmer now?" Renji asked, brushing their lips together.

"Much warmer, arigato," Byakuya said, kissing him.

They fell silent, losing themselves in each other's eyes as Renji slipped his fingers in between his lover's parted lips, watching closely as Byakuya's mouth slid up and down each, wetting them. He slid his fingers down the noble's torso, and in between his parted thighs, then slowly prepared him as the two returned to kissing. Renji shifted in Byakuya's arms and positioned himself at the noble's entrance, then took him slowly, their eyes locked together and the fingers of one hand entangled. Byakuya's legs wrapped tightly around the redhead, and he tilted his head back, allowing his lover's mouth to feed freely on the pale skin of his throat as Renji's hips moved in strong, deep thrusts. Byakuya's hands rose and the slender fingers sank into Renji's red mane, tightening as the redhead's mouth bit down on his again and the powerful, tanned hips moved faster. Byakuya's chest heaved and his breath shortened as the redhead shifted and thrust into the bundle of sensitive nerves deep within his core. The noble gave a hard, gasping moan into Renji's biting mouth and his eyes closed as pleasure overtook him and his seed pulsed out into their skin. Renji lifted himself, his hands clenching a mixture of sheets and raven hair as his mouth opened in a cry of pleasure and his body trembled and pulsed in release. He let himself fall down into the noble's waiting arms and they drifted off together with their bodies still entangled.

Outside their window, a soft, chill wind blew and a dark cloud floated lazily in, gradually covering the bright moon and leaving their two sated bodies in darkness.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Now promise me that you aren't going to get threatened, abducted or arrested while I'm gone," Renji said, sinking into Byakuya's mouth as Kisho fussed and grabbed at the redhead's hair, "Seems like whenever we do this, you manage to find some kind of trouble."

"I don't think I'll find much trouble around here," Byakuya said, nipping at his lover's lips, "unless by 'trouble,' you mean more than one soiled diaper at a time. _You _are the one who needs to stay out of trouble."

"I will watch over him," elder Hajime promised.

"Yeah," Renji laughed, "…says the guy who was possessed, died and had to be brought back hundreds of years later, only to be kidnapped by Aizen, and only escaped because the king invoked his 'magical recall' button! Hey, how do I get one of those for _my _Kuchiki?"

"Sorry," said Hajime, raising an eyebrow, "King's privilege."

"Just my luck," Renji sighed, shaking his head, "Come on. Time to go."

Byakuya stood alongside Akemi and the king, with Akane and Akiko hanging onto his legs and young Hajime standing solemnly in front of him. They watched as the others left and then turned and walked slowly back into the palace.

Renji and elder Hajime walked ahead of Takeo, Takeshi and Chisaki as the five crossed over into the Seireitei and turned in the direction of the valley they had been assigned to explore. Even before they arrived, they sensed the dark change in reiatsu and spotted odd clouds hovering over the area.

"Chisaki," Renji said as they reached the ridge that bordered the valley, "I want you to stay above those clouds. They look harmless, but that just makes me more suspicious."

"Hai," the girl said, shifting to her avian form and soaring up into the air above the others.

"Takeshi, you and Hajime go that way around the edge and Takeo and I will go this way."

"Hai!" Takeshi said, flash stepping away with Hajime at his side.

Renji and Takeo walked along the ridge, watching Chisaki sweep over the valley, turn and then angle back across. She worked in a slow pattern over the valley, changing angles to better see what the cloud patches sought to hide.

"_Something_ is definitely down there…" Takeo said, shaking his head, "And whatever it is, it's really powerful. Now I see why it gave Rikichi such trouble."

"Stay close," Renji warned him, "Something…"

He broke off as Chisaki banked and turned towards them, the sun flashing across her black wings and lighting something that was rising up underneath her.

"Shit!" cried Renji, "Chisaki!"

Zabimaru released instantly, extending out over the valley and slicing the tentacle that had curled and tightened around the struggling hawk.

"Damn it!"

Renji cried, shifting to ban kai as the cut tentacle remained around Chisaki and the trapped bird began to fall towards the valley. The skeletal dragon roared to life and captured hawk and tentacle, turning them back to where Renji stood. Hajime and Takeshi flash stepped to Renji's side and the group watched in horror as the cut tentacle down in the valley extended out and began to reconnect with the piece around Chisaki.

"Chisaki!" yelled Takeshi, shifting to wolf form and launching himself onto the bony extension of Zabimaru.

He ran to the skeletal dragon's mouth and tore at the tentacle that held her, managing to free her and following her back towards the men who waited at the top of the ridge. The two set down next to Renji, who breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank kami…"

Relief turned to sudden terror as the tentacle re-formed and wrapped itself tightly around the skeletal dragon, curling down its long body and around Renji's hand so quickly there was no time to react. The tentacle pulled back sharply, dragging an entangled Renji down the incline and towards a dark patch in the valley.

"Dad!" cried Takeo, grabbing onto the redhead's free hand and getting dragged along.

"Takeo, let go!" Renji yelled.

"No!" his son yelled back, firing off a volley of kido and reaching desperately for his weapon.

Takeshi and Chisaki shot forward, attacking the tentacle as it continued to drag Renji towards the dark patch. Hajime stared down at the area, his blue eyes filling with desperation as he realized what he was looking at. His weapon loosed and the death song rang out over the valley, shaking the trees and making the wind whistle around them. Hajime aimed his blue fire sword at the dark patch and whispered a seething phrase that shook the earth around them and sent a heavy blast into the opening. The tentacle that still held Renji trembled, but continued to drag Renji and Takeo towards the dark opening.

"No!" hissed Hajime, flash stepping down through the trees and taking aim again.

He struck the opening a second time and Renji was able to let go of Zabimaru. He and Takeo dropped onto the ground and dragged themselves to their feet. As they turned to escape together, the tentacle curled and shot at them again, wrapping around Renji as Takeo grabbed his father's hands and dug into the ground with his feet, resisting with all of his strength. The tentacle pulled hard, dragging Renji and Takeo to the opening.

Hajime landed next to the opening and slashed at the tentacle, recoiling as an explosion took him off his feet and sent him crashing to the ground.

"Dad!" screamed Takeshi and Chisaki, "Takeo!"

Renji felt the tentacle tightening and preparing to pull him inside the opening. He turned his head and looked into Takeo's widened eyes.

"Let go," he said in a low voice, "Let go now."

"No…"

Takeo gasped and loosed a scream as one of his father's hands pulled free and summoned a ball of red fire.

"Dad, NO!" screamed Takeo, "DON'T!"

"Hado #31, Shakkahou…"

"DAD!"

The fireball exploded around their hands, separating them as the tentacle yanked hard on Renji's body, dragging him into the dark opening.

"DAD!" Takeo screamed again, ignoring his bleeding hands and dragging himself towards the opening.

The area around the opening began to shimmer softly, then slowly, it began to seal itself. Takeo reached the opening and tried to force his sword in to keep it from closing. But Hajime's hand closed around his wrist suddenly, pulling him back as the seal completed itself.

"What are you _doing_? Why did you do that? I could have…!" cried Takeo.

"There was nothing you could do," Hajime said in a choked voice.

He tried to climb to his feet, but collapsed onto the ground again.

"That thing wasn't anything that you could handle," the blue-eyed shinigami panted, sheathing his blade.

He stared dazedly at the place that the opening had been.

"What was that thing?" said Takeo in a low, shaking voice.

"It was one of the old demons…from the time before the shinigamis," Hajime told them, "They were too strong…and only a divine sword wielded by a member of the royal family could kill one. And even among the divine swords, many weren't strong enough. So…the King's council of the time created confining cells between the dimensions…to hold them out of our worlds. None has ever escaped…and if this one had, then it would have killed every living thing it found."

He paused searching for words as Takeshi slipped an arm around his crying sister and the two moved closer to Takeo.

"Renji knew you were only going to be pulled in too. That is why he fired that kido spell at you. I tried to free Renji when I struck the demon with the sealing spell. But I was caught in the explosion and lost consciousness briefly…I am sorry."

"It wasn't your fault," Takeo said, choking on the words, "_I _was holding on to him. And he's _my _captain. It's my job to protect him. And I didn't do that…"

"Takeo…" sobbed Chisaki, "Takeo, don't say that!"

"Why not? We all know it's true! I was holding onto him! It was my job to keep him safe…"

Hajime staggered to his feet and helped Takeo stand. The younger man leaned against Hajime as Takeshi and Chisaki joined them.

"Wh-what do we do now?" asked Chisaki, "How do we open that cell?"

Hajime took a soft, wounded breath.

"We can't…You have to understand, that cell doesn't exist in this world. That demon only found a way to connect with this world briefly as it tried to escape. The only way to reach it now…is for the demon to break through from the other side again."

"What about our special ability?" asked Takeshi, "We can travel to other dimensions…"

"Those cells do not exist in the known dimensions," Hajime explained, "They are in the voids in between."

The four fell silent, staring at the place where the opening had been. Around them, the black mist burned away and the sun shined down, warming the valley again.

"Come," Hajime said finally, "We must return to the king and tell him what has happened."

Takeshi and Chisaki moved to follow their elder, but Takeo remained rooted to the ground and staring at where the opening had been.

"Takeo," Hajime said gently.

"I can't leave," the young man said, tears running down his face, "I can't leave him…"

"He is beyond our reach, Takeo," Hajime said, placing a hand on the younger man's shoulder.

Takeo threw his hand off and backed away.

"I am not leaving him," he said firmly, "I'm staying!"

Hajime observed him for a moment, then turned to Takeshi and Chisaki.

"Go," he told them, in a voice too soft for Takeo to hear, "I will stay here with him. You need to bring Byakuya."


	5. Broken Promises

**Chapter 5: Broken Promises**

Byakuya sat quietly on a blanket that had been laid out on the grass in the King's Gardens, with Kisho in his arms and Chiasa, Akane and Akiko sleeping peacefully around him. Akemi knelt at the edge of the healing pool, making and sailing paper boats with young Hajime.

"Be calm now," Byakuya said in a soothing voice, "You should have been down for your nap long ago, little one."

He held the infant to his shoulder, humming softly and rocking his body back and forth as the tiny fingers tightened in his hair and pulled, and the boy's mouth opened into a howl of displeasure.

"Hush now, Kisho," the noble whispered, lowering the boy into his lap and tickling his cheek with a flower.

But as soon as he was set down, the boy cried louder, until Byakuya's eyes closed in frustration and he was ready to invoke sleep just to give himself a moment's respite.

"Why don't you allow me to hold him for a bit?" offered the spirit king, "You look weary. Go to the healing pool and replenish your reiatsu."

"Arigato," Byakuya said in a relieved sigh.

He climbed to his feet and started towards the healing pool. As he reached the edge, an odd ripple appeared on the surface of the water and the wind rose suddenly to a howl. The palace sirens began to wail and a group of attendants hurried towards them to rush the children back inside. The king, Akemi and Byakuya gathered at the edge of the healing pool as the children were led away.

"What is it?" asked Akemi.

The king turned, extending a hand over the riled water, preparing to invoke his power, but as the reiatsu around them flared again, Byakuya felt a hard wrenching pain and dropped to his knees, his eyes widened in distress.

"Byakuya!" gasped Akemi, dropping down next to him and wrapping his arms around the stricken noble.

"S-something…" Byakuya hissed, "Something is…"

He fell forward onto his hands and knees, gasping and digging his fingers into the soft grass and soil. A moment later, he gave a hard, strangled cry and collapsed onto the grass. He felt hands turn him over and was momentarily stunned as the king's eyes revealed themselves to him and seemed to sink down inside him.

"It is the soul bond," the king said, placing a hand over Byakuya's midsection.

"R-renji!" Byakuya gasped, choking, "He's…being pulled away."

The king placed a hand over Byakuya's eyes and quietly induced sleep. Byakuya fell still, a tormented look on his face.

"Did something happen to Renji?" Akemi asked worriedly.

"Something is happening," the king said, touching the places over Byakuya's spirit centers, "The soul bond is trying to hold on, but something is affecting it oddly…almost as though…"

He broke off, staring.

"Hajime has been injured. I am not sure what is happening, but I do not feel Renji's presence any longer," reported the king.

"Father," said Akemi desperately, "Does that mean that Byakuya is also…"

The two men stared in dismay as Byakuya's body pulsed with white light, then they felt his life force begin to fade.

"Oh…!" gasped Akemi, "Renji? Is Renji…did he…die?"

"I do not know what happened," said the king, "That valley they went to has a dark presence around it."

"Father," Akemi said, staring down at Byakuya, "Can you do anything to help Byakuya? Please. If…if Renji is. If Renji is…oh kami! He can't be…he can't be!"

The king placed a hand on Akemi's shoulder.

"I did not feel Renji's death, but his reiatsu has disappeared. We must wait to learn his fate. But…there may be a way to help Byakuya. Though…it may be costly."

The king's hands moved over Byakuya's spirit centers, latching on to the flickering connection of the dying soul bond. He closed his eyes and sensed the place where the disturbance in the connection resonated, then used his own reiatsu to cut away and seal the bond.

"What was that? What did you do?" whispered Akemi, watching as Byakuya's reiatsu seemed to settle and calm.

The king hesitated for a moment, looking down at the unconscious noble.

"I had to sever their bond. He was dying."

Tears rose in Akemi's eyes and his face grew tormented.

"Then…Renji is…dead? He's gone?" he asked in a trembling voice.

The king placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I told you. I do not know what happened, only that his reiatsu disappeared. Yet, if it was that he died, Byakuya's connection would have faded gradually and he would have lost consciousness and died more slowly…peacefully…not as it was happening. It was as though the connection was shocked somehow."

Akemi wiped away a tear.

"Will he be all right?" he asked softly, slipping a hand into the noble's, "He's barely breathing!"

"He will live," the king said quietly, "but there may be damage. I need to wake him to see how bad it is. I want you to be prepared to put him out again if he encounters unbearable pain of any sort. I am going to link with him to get a better idea of the amount of damage."

He closed his eyes and focused deeply, then sent a soft pulse of reiatsu through the noble's spirit centers. Byakuya stirred and took a deeper breath, then opened his eyes and sat up slowly with Akemi's help. He stared straight ahead, his eyes wide and distressed, but saying nothing.

"Byakuya," said the king, "I need you to tell me what you sense. You were somehow damaged by a problem in the soul bond."

"Renji," Byakuya whispered, placing a hand on his heart, "Renji…and Zabimaru are…gone."

He paused for a moment, terror sweeping across his pale features, making them go a ghostly white.

"Senbonzakura…" he said, half sobbing, "Senbonzakura has disappeared as well. I don't know what happened. Did they die?"

"We don't know what happened," admitted Akemi, his arms shaking as he wrapped them around the devastated noble.

"There was some kind of disturbance in the soul bond," said the king, "…a pulling, a tearing. And all I could do was to sever the connection. When I did, you began to recover. But Byakuya, what happened did not feel like death. The soul bond acted oddly."

"B-but…why is my zanpakutou gone as well?" asked Byakuya, his voice breaking, "Why are they gone? It feels like they have died…but at the same time, like they are somehow still there. And I am still here. What is happening?"

"I do not know yet," admitted the king, "But we will need to go to the valley. I sensed great injury to Hajime and distress in your children."

"Takeo? Takeshi and Chisaki…are they?" Byakuya asked, going even more pale.

"The children's reiatsu is fine," the king assured them, "But obviously, whatever has happened has deeply upset them. And with Hajime injured…we need to send assistance."

"I will go," Akemi said, standing.

"No, Akemi," the king said firmly, "You are still in treatment for your injuries from being inside that hollow for so long. You cannot go into the Seireitei without risking relapse."

Byakuya took a deep, shuddering breath and composed himself forcibly.

"I will go to the children," he said, regaining a sense of calm in his face and voice, "They need me."

The king nodded.

"I must go as well," he said quietly, "This is a serious matter to have taken such a toll. We will go under heavy guard."

He gazed down at Akemi's bowed head.

"I know you want to go as well, son," he said softly, "but I need you to wait here. Byakuya's other children need to have someone familiar to comfort them. Do not let on what has happened yet. We have to learn the full extent, but go to them and keep them comfortable. And have young Hajime sent to us. We made need his skill in healing my Hajime."

"Hai," Akemi said in a soft, sad voice.

The king helped Byakuya to his feet, then summoned his personal guard.

"I want a full unit of royal guard and my personal guard ready and mounted in the courtyard as quickly as you can get there."

"Hai, my lord!" cried the guard, turning and flash stepping away.

"Come Byakuya," said the king, "We will leave immediately."

They froze as they suddenly spotted the winged wolf carrying Takeshi and Chisaki. Byakuya flash stepped to them as the beast dropped down onto the ground and the teens climbed off.

"Dad!" the two cried together, running to him and sliding to a stop.

Byakuya took in their smudged faces and tortured expressions and stiffened, his military training taking over and restoring calm to his own body.

"We sensed that something happened in the valley," he said as Chisaki collapsed into his arms, sobbing.

"W-we…we were up on the ridge above the valley," Takeshi reported in a shaking voice, "Dad told Chisaki to stay above the strange, dark clouds and she did, but this huge tentacle grabbed her and started to pull her down. Dad used his ban kai and I helped free her, but…but it wrapped around Zabimaru and pulled Dad down into the valley! Takeo got a hold of him, but they…they were being dragged into some kind of…of opening…or a tear. Dad saw that Takeo was being dragged along, and…"

He broke off, a sob escaping him as he remembered. He took a shuddering breath and forced himself to continue.

"He…used a kido spell to force Takeo away and he was…Dad, he was dragged in."

"What happened to Hajime?" Byakuya asked calmly, "We sensed he was injured."

"He used the death song and a sealing spell on the opening," Chisaki explained, sniffing and regaining her composure, "He told us after that, that he had to because it was a dimensional opening and that there was a banished demon trying to escape it. There was an explosion when he attacked the thing that was holding Dad. He was injured, but he was conscious when we left him with Takeo."

"Was Takeo injured?" Byakuya asked quickly.

"J-just cuts, bruises and a few burns," reported Takeshi, "But Dad, Takeo was convinced that it was his fault."

"What?"

"He wouldn't leave with us," Chisaki added, "So Hajime stayed with him and told us to come and bring you."

Byakuya nodded, absorbing the information.

"The king's procession is preparing to leave for the valley. I want the two of you to report to the infirmary and to be thoroughly examined, do you understand?"

"Yes, but dad…" Takeshi began.

"I am speaking to you as your captain, son," Byakuya said firmly, "You are to report to the infirmary and be examined. After that, the two of you are to assist the attendants in caring for your siblings. That is your duty as per your captain, clan leader and father."

"Y-yes sir," Takeo and Chisaki answered together, lowering their eyes.

"And there is one more thing," Byakuya added, "Akemi is very upset over Renji's disappearance. I need the two of you to stay close to him and offer what comfort you can."

"Yes sir," said the twins.

"Takeshi, Chisaki," the noble said, meeting their eyes, "I am glad that you are all right."

The two nodded and hugged him briefly, then flash stepped away.

Byakuya stood for a moment, alone in the garden. His hands clenched for a moment and he inhaled sharply steeling himself. He let the breath out slowly, feeling a numbness spread through him and slowly take over. His heart slowed and his face became a mask of calm. He stood for a moment longer, then flash stepped towards the palace courtyard.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Have we…escaped it?" panted Chimpette, holding her unconscious shinigami over her shoulder and an equally affected Snakey under her arm.

The masked samurai quickly sectioned off the area around them and raised a reiatsu cage. He lifted Renji off the baboon's shoulder and laid him on the ground.

"I think we have escaped for now," Senbonzakura said quietly, "but we will not be able to hide for long, not even in this reiatsu cage."

"What was that _thing_?" asked the baboon in a shaken voice, "I've never felt a reiatsu like that…"

"I do not know," admitted the samurai, "All I know is that if we are caught, we will be killed. We have to keep moving."

"Ah…well," said Chimpette in a sarcastic tone, "Well, tell that to my master! He has a broken back and is bleeding to death inside! If he even lives, it will be a miracle! And Snakey is out cold. I can't summon even a shikai as long as he's out!"

"Then we must do our best to heal Renji," Senbonzakura said, leaning over the unconscious shinigami.

Chimpette went quiet, dropping to her knees next to Senbonzakura and lending her healing power.

"So…how did you end up here?" the baboon asked, "Your master wasn't even with us."

"I do not know," admitted the samurai, "All I know is that I felt an odd wrenching, and when I manifested, I was here, with you."

The baboon looked down at Renji, then back up at Senbonzakura.

"Hey, uh…thanks, by the way," she said, more quietly, If you hadn't appeared when you did, we would have died. That thing had knocked out Renji and Snakey, and had me cornered."

"My master values yours," the samurai said stoically, making the baboon's features darken and her reiatsu swell warningly.

Senbonzakura smirked.

"And," he added softly, "I have become accustomed to having your more spirited company."

"Huh," Chimpette huffed, narrowing her eyes.

She started to say more, but was stopped as the samurai's gloved hand found hers.

"I am glad I was able to stop that beast from killing you."

The baboon spirit quieted, settling against Senbonzakura's shoulder and watching as the samurai continued to heal Renji's injuries.

"Sen," Chimpette said finally, "You know there's something odd about this place. I can't sense your master anymore from here."

"Neither can I," admitted the Samurai.

"So…if we are stuck here for a long time and you are not able to connect with your shinigami, how will you stay alive?"

Senbonzakura shook his head gently.

"I do not know. Perhaps," he said softly, "I can find another force to sustain me while I am separated from my master…but if not…"

"I won't let you die," Chimpette said firmly.

Then she caught herself.

"My master would _kill_ me," she added hastily.

"I see," said the samurai, smiling beneath his mask and continuing with Renji's healing.


	6. Not Alone

**Chapter 6: Not Alone**

The spirit king raised a hand, calling a halt to the procession that had come to the small valley, just inside the Seireitei.

"Set up sentries around the ridge and along the path down into the valley."

He motioned to his personal guards and to Byakuya, who sat astride a white horse with young Hajime perched in front of him.

"Come," the king said.

They dismounted and followed the path down into the tree choked valley. Byakuya shivered softly as he began to sense the traces of Zabimaru's power that had been left behind, and he started to see signs of the damage to the trees and brush made by the skeletal snake and the dragged bodies of his life partner and their eldest son. They rounded a curve and spotted a man kneeling next to another, who lay unconscious on the ground.

"Takeo!" Byakuya called, flash stepping swiftly to the kneeling man's side.

Young Hajime and the spirit king appeared next to him and dropped down next to the unconscious form of elder Hajime. As they began to address Hajime's injuries, Byakuya knelt in front of Takeo and quietly reached for his injured hands. Takeo kept his eyes lowered, and when Byakuya's hands touched his, he pulled away.

"Son, what are you doing?" Byakuya said softly, "Why do you pull away from me?"

The young man's eye rose just enough so that Byakuya could read the devastation.

"I am not worthy to look you in the eyes," Takeo whispered, "or to accept healing from your hands. I failed my captain…and I failed my father. Leave me alone, Captain Kuchiki."

Byakuya paused for a moment, frowning down at his son's bleeding hands, then took them firmly in his and summoned his healing power.

"Takeo Abarai," he said sternly, "Do not _ever_ insult me again by using words to distance yourself from me. Now, be still."

Takeo lowered his head again and fell silent as Byakuya continued to heal him. Beside them, the king and young Hajime continued to address elder Hajime's injuries.

"I sense a toxic reiatsu that has attached itself to his," the king said quietly, "It is likely that all of the ones who came into contact with this demon were likewise affected."

He lowered his head and colleted a small amount of blood and reiatsu from the noble, then summoned a courier.

"Return to the palace at once and have them create an anti-toxin based on these samples. Have Takeshi and Chisaki Kuchiki scanned and treated for this, if it hasn't already been discovered and addressed."

"And have their zanpakutou spirits treated as well," added young Hajime, suddenly, "His Zetsumei Kakyoku was infected also."

"I believe his injuries are worse for having taken a direct hit. Takeo Abarai, did the demon strike any of the rest of you directly?" asked the king.

Takeo swallowed hard and shook his head.

"It grabbed us," he said softly, "but only Hajime took a direct hit."

The king turned to young Hajime.

"See to it that Hajime is stabilized. Then go and heal your brother," he told the boy, "My Hajime's injuries will require immersion in the healing pool. I will return to the palace with him. You must help your father to convince Takeo to leave the valley so that he can be healed properly. You may assure him that the valley will be closely guarded, so we will know immediately if the demon breaks through again."

"Hai," said the boy, nodding.

The king rose and moved to where Byakuya was completing his eldest son's healing.

"Takeo Abarai, will you show me exactly where the demon broke through?" asked the king.

Takeo nodded silently and stood. He led the king to an opening in the brush at the side of the trail.

"There was…a dark colored opening here," the young man said, motioning towards the area, "A large tentacle extended out and…"

He broke off as he spotted something caught in the brush. Takeo stepped closer, his heart pounding and tears rising in his eyes as he reached out and picked up a broken piece of metal. A soft, unbidden sob escaped him and he started to collapse, but Byakuya's arms wrapped around him and eased him to the ground. His father's arms encircled him tightly as they stared down at the Zabimaru's broken fang. Takeo sniffed softly as a tear dropped onto the fang. The tanned hand around it tightened, constricting around the sharp, bladed edge until his blood dripped down its length and fell to the ground where the rift had opened.

"I swear," Takeo said in a low, trembling voice, "that I will not abandon my captain, and I will see him returned to us safely."

The young man caught his breath sharply as a pale hand wrapped around the exposed part of the fang below his hand and tightened until drops of Byakuya's blood joined his.

"And I swear," he added quietly, "that I will not abandon my soul bonded, my life partner and my friend…and I will see him returned to us safely."

He rested his head lightly on Takeo's shoulder, gazing down at their hands.

"Takeo," he went on, "if we are to honor our promises, to Renji and to ourselves, then we must allow ourselves to be fully healed. Obviously, this demon is very powerful. And it will require all of our combined strength to win him back. Do you understand, son?"

"Yeah," breathed Takeo, sounding heartbreakingly like his father, "Yeah, I do."

The two sat quietly together as the king completed his examination of the place where the demon had broken through. The monarch turned back to them, his features betraying deep concern.

"This demon is very old and dreadfully powerful," he told them, "Only a member of the royal family would be able to defeat it. But it would take an attack on the level of Renji's and your divine dragon. Had Hajime and I already taken our vows, his blade might have had the strength to fight this demon…but we have not joined that way, so he was repelled. He was able to replace the seal and to close the rift, but it is hard to say whether or not the demon will break through again. I am certain that now that it has broken through once, it will keep trying. I will maintain guards and a heavy seal around the valley, and I will have my son, Prince Kazuhiko, watch over the seal. Then, all we can do is to wait. We cannot break into that cell. To this world, that place, and all that is in it…do not exist."

"Is this why the soul bond reacted as it did?" asked Byakuya.

"Yes," the king affirmed, "When Hajime's seal closed the rift, that cell returned to non-existence. But because you were here and Renji was inside the rift, a paradox occurred."

"Because suddenly I existed…and Renji did not," Byakuya whispered.

"The soul bond was shocked and you began to die…because the rule of the soul bond rejected your existence alone, without your soul mate. I was able to sever the connection and to stop you from dying."

"But what of Senbonzakura?" Byakuya asked, looking down at his lifeless sword.

The king considered the question and turned back to the area he examined before. Then he approached Byakuya and examined him briefly.

"Without seeing the inside of that cell," the king said quietly, "I cannot be certain of your zanpakutou's fate. However, I am of the opinion that what most likely happened is that when you and Senbonzakura began to sense Renji's distress, your heart reached out for him and your zanpakutou is an extension of your heart…"

"Then…you saying that you think my zanpakutou was sealed in the rift?" Byakuya asked, his voice catching softly.

"Yes," said the king, "I believe that Senbonzakura was pulled into that cell as well."

"Your zanpakutou, Dad?" Takeo repeated, his voice shaking, "But that means that…"

He froze as Byakuya's palm came to rest on his face and the noble's eyes locked on to his.

"Takeo," he said reprovingly, "I am far too wise and too willful to ever allow myself to weaken and die, simply because of the loss of my zanpakutou."

"B-but," the young man when on, tears leaking onto his face again, "You have lost Renji _and_ your zanpakutou! And it wouldn't have happened if I had just held on!"

He fell against Byakuya, holding onto him tightly and crying soundlessly.

"Son," Byakuya said softly, "Your being pulled into the rift would not have changed our fate. It would only have added to our losses. And besides, we have not lost Renji. You and I have made a blood vow to see to his return. And even had we not, my bond with Renji does not just exist inside Renji or me…it rests in _all of us_…_all of us_, Takeo. He is not gone from us while he lives in our hearts."

Takeo looked up at him through tear drenched eyes.

"Do you…really believe that?" he asked, choking on the words.

Byakuya looked deeply into his eyes.

"What do you think?" he asked quietly, "Takeo, I once thought Renji had died. I watched as our house burnt to the ground and he disappeared. But Renji was stronger than I gave him credit for. He escaped that burning house when he should not have been able to…and even though he was injured and he couldn't remember things, he returned to me. I too have been taken from my home and family…and Renji was left in doubt as to my fate. But he never abandoned me, nor I him. And we have always, _always_ found our way back to each other. I believe we will this time too. I need you to believe that as well. If we allow ourselves the luxury of despair and we abandon hope, then Renji's fate is sealed, but if we never give in, then he will come home to us. But to be there for him, what you must abandon, Takeo, is your self-torment. It does not do Renji or you, or any of us any good to see you blame yourself for something that was clearly beyond your control."

Takeo nodded wordlessly and let his head fall onto Byakuya's shoulder again.

"The king is leaving guards here in the valley," the noble told his grieving son, "We will go to be healed and we will return as soon as there is any sign of the rift reopening. And while we wait, we will take care our family…your younger brothers and sisters, who need your strength right now, Takeo. You are Renji's firstborn son…and it is your duty to take care of your family while he is away."

"You're right," said the young man, lifting his head from the noble's shoulder and running his hands over his face, "I was being selfish. But…I won't be anymore. I'll help take care of my brothers and sisters."

He slipped a hand into Byakuya's.

"And I will take care of you. I owe both of you that."

Byakuya squeezed his hand and nodded as young Hajime finished stabilizing the elder Hajime and moved to join them. He settled at Takeo's side and began to heal his brother as Byakuya stood and approached the king.

"I need you to go to the first division and to inform the head captain of what has happened here," said the king, "And when you have done that, I want you to return to the spirit dimension. We should remain together to help the children come to terms with what has happened."

Byakuya nodded and flash stepped away. He left the valley behind and continued at flash step speed to the edge of town, then slowed. He paused for a moment as a wave of dizziness passed over him, but took slow breaths until it eased then continued on. He reached the first division and was quickly led into the captain's meeting room, where the other captains and the head captain were in the middle of a captain's meeting.

"Captain Kuchiki," the head captain said solemnly as he entered the room, "We have heard of the disturbance in the valley. What information can you give us?"

"An old demon, from before our time, has broken out of a dimensional cell," Byakuya reported, "The seal was replaced, but as it was set, Captain Abarai was pulled into the rift…and locked away with the demon."

Surprise and concern rose in the eyes of the other gathered captains, and the head captain frowned deeply.

"Byakuya Kuchiki," he said sternly, "What was Captain Abarai doing in the valley? As I recall, I assigned this task to you."

Byakuya bowed his head respectfully.

"My reiatsu was deemed too low for the mission, sir," Byakuya said quietly, "Captain Abarai had equal knowledge of the valley and was assisted by the king's fiancée and three seated officers from our division. He was well suited to the mission…more so than me."

"Understandable, considering you had just given birth. Very well, I will not issue a reprimand for disobeying orders. But you need to tell us what the king needs from the Gotei 13."

Byakuya shook his head.

The king has entrusted this to the royal guard and to his personal guard. The demon, if it breaks through again, can only be killed by the sword of a member of the royal family. He has assigned his son, Prince Kazuhiko to watch over the valley and to alert the king directly if the demon breaks through."

"But what about Captain Abarai?" asked Juushiro, "Should we send a rescue team?"

"No," Byakuya said quietly.

"So the king is taking care of that as well?" asked Captain Zaraki, "Because I'd like to take him on…and get Abarai out of there."

"You would only die," Byakuya said, frowning, "and in any case, the rift can only be opened if the demon breaks through again. The cell that it lies in is between dimensions. Simply put, it does not exist here."

"Then…you are telling us that Captain Abarai no longer exists?" asked the head captain.

"Not in our dimensions," Byakuya affirmed, "and we cannot determine whether or not the rift will ever open again."

"What of the soul bond?" the head captain went on, "if Abarai has been erased from existence, then how is it that you survive?"

Byakuya closed his eyes for a moment and took a soft breath.

"His majesty was able to sever the soul bond, and to free me, so that I would not die from the shock of what happened."

"But your reiatsu is still abysmally low," said the head captain, "You will report to the fourth division as soon as we are finished here."

Byakuya nodded and stood quietly as the meeting continued, his mind straying back to the valley, to Takeo and the other children and finally to Renji. His heart ached at the feeling of emptiness that was returning as he turned from managing the damage to dealing with the aftermath. His head spun softly as he thought about how he expected each child would respond to what had happened, and how he might address each response. But his mind couldn't even begin to address what he might do if Renji didn't return. He tried to go back to what he had said to Takeo…to the blood vow they had taken, but still, the void created by his soul mate's tearing away wore at him until he had lost track entirely of where he was and what was going on around him. He felt a gentle touch on his arm and heard Captain Unohana's sweet, concerned voice. He tried to reply, but couldn't seem to speak. His body felt weak and flushed and when he tried to move, his legs gave way beneath him. The voices around him disappeared and all that was left was a deep, solemn grayness.

_Renji…_his mind called out into the stillness.

His only answer was silence.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Can you raise another cage?" asked Chimpette, "Renji needs another reiatsu infusion."

"If he doesn't wake up soon, we are all going to get squashed by that thing!" said Snakey, his eyes running all around the forested area they were in, "It keeps finding us!"

"And we are not exactly in top condition," admitted Senbonzakura, "Unfortunately, I seem to have become feverish as the three of you are…and I am not able to use my stronger powers."

"Why do we all have fevers?" asked Snakey, still scanning the area nervously.

"I am not sure," the samurai said softly, "I sensed a disturbance in our reiatsu before. I think that our contact with this creature has caused it, but I do not know how badly it will affect us or if we can overcome it."

"Damn it!" swore the baboon, shaking her head, "This just gets worse and worse"

"Try not to overexert yourself," Senbonzakura cautioned her, "You need to save your strength for battle."

He stopped speaking for a moment and his body swayed unsteadily. Chimpette caught his arm and steadied him.

"Why don't you let Snakey and me try to raise the cage? I think we can manage it."

The samurai hesitated, looking around briefly, but then nodded.

Baboon and snake boy gathered their power and let it swell until the golden cage began to form around them. They were pale and sweating heavily by the time it was completed, but when it was done, they dropped down onto the floor of the cage, wearing relieved expressions.

"That will give us a little time," commented Chimpette.

No one answered. The baboon chuckled softly at the sight of Snakey curled up next to Renji and already sleeping. She turned to look at Senbonzakura where he sat, leaned against the wall, his chest heaving and his body shaking softly.

"Not feeling so good, ne?" she asked.

She didn't like the silence she got in reply. She moved closer.

"Sen?" she queried, kneeling in front of him and touching his arm.

He looked uncomfortable and was sweating profusely.

"You're too hot in all of that," she said, considering.

She reached down and slowly slid the gloves off of the samurai's hands. When he didn't object, she removed all but the light yukata beneath his clothes. She looked at the mask, biting her lip gently.

"You would probably kill me for removing this," she said softly, "but you are going to suffocate if I leave it on."

Her hands shook softly and her heart pounded harder and faster as she slowly pulled it away. The samurai's revealed face seemed to strike her senses all at once. She stared, mesmerized at the stunningly beautiful, pale, delicate features and long, flowing black hair. Chimpette's eyes widened and went hazy and she wondered if her own fever had gotten higher. She felt wobbly and light-headed and she leaned forward on her hands in front of him, bringing their faces close together. The light, sweet scent of sakura drifted across her senses and she felt herself move closer to the collapsed samurai. She leaned over him, reaching out and washing his face gently, with a cool, wet cloth. The sakura scent grew stronger, luring her even closer. She lowered her lips to his.

"UGH!" yelled Snakey, making Renji groan softly and causing Senbonzakura to suddenly wake, "You aren't going to KISS him are you?"

Chimpette's eyes widened as the samurai's dark blue eyes struck hers and darkened in fury.

"How dare you take advantage of my illness!" he snapped, scrambling to gather his clothes together, "No one looks on my face but Byakuya!"

He shoved the mask back on and hastily dressed, glaring underneath his facial adornment.

"I wasn't taking advantage," the baboon said haughtily, "I was tending to your fever. But if you would rather fry inside that horrid thing, then go ahead! See if I care."

She stalked back across the cage and sat down next to Snakey.

"Idiot!" she muttered, "He's more stupid than our master!"

"Yeah, right," Snakey yawned, leaning against her and closing his eyes again, "_He's_ the stupid one. I think _you're_ stupid if you think for a moment he believes you were _just tending to his fever_."

"Shut up," the baboon muttered, curling up and wiping the sweat off her forehead, "Go to sleep, and next time don't scare me like that. You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Snakey giggled.

"You almost had a heart attack, but I don't think it was because I yelled," he commented, "I think you like him!"

"Go to sleep…you annoying little freak! And don't snore or I'll throw you out with the demon!"

Chimpette closed her eyes and after a time, managed to drift off. But all the while she slept, her mind kept replaying the moment when she revealed the samurai's angelic face.


	7. Broken Ties

**Chapter 7: Broken Ties**

The spirit king sat quietly in the shallow waters of the healing pool, his red-brown eyes focused on the troubled face of the unconscious shinigami who rested in his arms. His healing power glowed softly around Hajime's pale body, slowly erasing the signs of recent battle and leaving the porcelain flesh pristine and unblemished.

_But I cannot erase the weight I feel upon his heart. Hajime, you saved thousands of lives by sealing the demon back in the cell. If it had gotten free of the valley, nothing could have stopped it from rampaging across the Seireitei, destroying everything and everyone within its path. Your actions were correct, given that your blade was not royal, and the royal family members with you did not know how to fight the demon properly. None of you had ever even seen one before. The only reason you even knew what you were facing was because of the stories I shared with you as you rested in my arms after we made love, back in our earliest days. There was no choice, Hajime. You fought honorably and well, as always. I chose correctly when I chose you…my Hajime…_

Hajime stirred softly and sighed, then settled again in the king's strong arms. The king lifted him and carried him out of the pool, then laid him carefully on the grassy shore. He dried away the moisture, then dressed his lover in a white yukata and carried him to their bedroom. He set Hajime comfortably in bed, then leaned over to kiss him lightly on the forehead and then on the lips. Hajime stirred again and his lips moved, but no words formed. The king smiled sadly and squeezed Hajime's hand, then quietly left the room. He nodded to the guard on duty and motioned for Hajime's attendant to join him.

"Akio," he said softly, "You are to tend to Hajime. See that he is kept comfortable and that he eats to regain his strength. And inform me at once if you sense anything amiss."

"Yes, your majesty, of course," the youth answered, bowing and entering the bedroom.

The king's fingertips touched the door as it closed and his mind connected briefly with his sleeping lover's…long enough to know that Hajime still slept soundly, and to feel the heaviness of emotion surrounding his resting spirit.

_You are strong, Hajime. Your heart has already proven how much it can withstand. Lie quietly now and do not despair. The time to raise your sword and to defend our loved ones will come again. And you will be there to take back what was lost._

"Father?"

The king turned and met Akemi's eyes in silence.

"Takeshi and Chisaki told me what happened," he said quietly, "I came to see how Hajime is doing."

"The healers were able to counteract the toxin in his system, and I was able to address his injuries by immersing him in the healing pool. He is resting, but you are welcome to sit with him."

He placed a hand on his son's arm as Akemi started to enter the room. His son stopped and looked up at him.

"He has not awakened yet," the king told him, "but I have sensed his distress over having been the hand that sealed Renji into the cell with the demon."

"But Renji and Byakuya's children said that Hajime tried to extract Renji, and only couldn't because he was caught in the explosion and thrown back. He shouldn't blame himself for that."

The king nodded.

"He should not," he agreed, "but sometimes the heart will not accept even a reasonable explanation. He feels that he failed Renji badly."

Akemi bit his lip softly.

"Father…I owe my life to Hajime. He placed me in the care the Abarai family unselfishly when he knew that he was likely to die and that the queen would not let me live a day longer than he did. He came back from death and was the hand that cut away the hollow that possessed me. And this time, he acted to save the thousands of lives in the Seireitei that were threatened if the demon had escaped. And in addition to all of that, my Renji has always put the lives and well being of his children first. Hajime was the only one of them who knew how to replace the seal on the dimensional cell. It is what Renji wanted…and Hajime's action protected the ones most important to Renji. My heart feels nothing but gratitude…and sympathy."

The king's hand rose and his fingertips touched his son's face.

"Akemi Abarai," he said softly, "You have a valiant heart…much like Hajime's. Go and sit with him. I think that your presence will do much to assist in his healing."

"Yes, Father," Akemi said bowing.

He watched as the king walked away, then took a steadying breath and entered the room.

XXXXXXXXXX

Takeo sat quietly in the white-walled room in the royal infirmary, not even flinching as the healer gave him an injection, then straightened and nodded.

"That will take care of the toxin. But lie back and rest for a bit. You took more than a little damage."

Takeo nodded silently and leaned back against the pillows. He looked out the window and into the tranquil, blue sky and tried to fathom the chilling reality that Renji wasn't just a few halls away in his room or walking in the King's Gardens with Byakuya, but locked into a living nightmare…and all alone…except for Zabimaru and possibly Senbonzakura…if Byakuya's zanpakutou hadn't died from the shock of being torn away from his master.

"Takeo?"

He looked up and gave his younger sister a sad smile, not speaking as Chisaki and Takeshi sat down in chairs near his bed and sat, looking at him and not knowing where to begin.

"Did they give you the anti-toxin?" Takeshi asked finally, "They gave it to us as soon as they finished making it."

"Yeah," Takeo said, nodding and touching the injection site lightly.

"Good."

There was a long silence as the three tried to decide what to say next.

"Has Dad come back from the Seireitei yet?" asked Takeo.

"No," said Takeshi, shaking his head, "We haven't heard anything from the Seireitei yet. But he should be back soon."

"Yeah," agreed Takeo, "He had to check in with the head captain, and you know they will have had lots of questions for him. I just…I wish he would come back. I don't him being gone…not right now."

"He'll be back soon," Chisaki said bracingly, "and then we have explain to Akane and Akiko. They're…"

She broke off and sniffed softly.

"They are already wondering why Daddy Red has been gone so long. The attendants just keep saying that he's on a mission. But when Dad gets back…we have to make them understand."

"How do you explain to little kids like that, that you don't know when…or if he'll ever come back? How do you do that?"

"I don't know," admitted Takeshi, "but you remember how Renji told us when Byakuya was captured by Aizen."

"But we were older," said Chisaki, "Akane and Akiko are still just barely more than babies. They're so little…they won't understand."

"Byakuya is really good with kids," Takeo assured them, "He'll find a way to make them understand. I just…I wish he would come back. I mean…what if something…?"

"Nothing is going to happen to him," Takeshi said firmly, "He'll be here soon."

"Takeo?" said a boy's voice from the doorway.

The three turned their heads and watched as young Hajime joined them in the room. The boy walked across the room and climbed up onto Takeo's hospital bed. He looked down at his brother's bound hands and touched them gently with his fingers.

"Does it hurt anymore?" he asked, looking up at Takeo.

"No, not really," sighed the young man, shaking his head, "I'll be fine."

Takeo felt a twinge of guilt as it registered how tired his younger brother looked. He slipped an arm around Hajime and pulled him down so he rested on Takeo's lap, with his back rested against his older brother's chest.

"What did you do that for?" the boy asked, "I'm not tired."

"Liar," said Takeo, "You're exhausted. You had to heal big Hajime and then you had to help with me. You stay put or I'll tie you down."

The four fell silent again as Hajime turned and rested his head on Takeo's shoulder.

"When will Daddy Bya be back?" Hajime asked softly.

"We aren't sure," admitted Takeo, "but it should be soon."

"I want him to come back now," Hajime whispered, "I keep feeling afraid that something will happen to him."

"He'll be okay," Takeshi said bracingly, "and while we wait, we could tell some of the stories he told us before."

"I don't want to hear stories," Hajime sighed, his eyes blinking, "I want Daddy Bya."

Takeo exchanged glances with Takeshi and Chisaki and the twins stood.

"We'll go and see what's taking so long," Chisaki offered, "Hajime, you stay here with Takeo and make sure he eats and rests."

The smaller boy yawned and nodded against Takeo's shoulder as his siblings left the room. Takeo hugged Hajime and rested his chin on his brother's head.

"He'll be back soon, Hajime," he said reassuringly, "Don't worry."

Hajime smiled against his shoulder and gave him a hug.

"I'm glad at least you're here," he said quietly.

"I'm glad you're here too," Takeo said, squeezing him gently.

"That felt like a hug from Daddy Ren," Hajime said sleepily.

Takeo smiled down at Hajime as the younger boy's eyes closed and he drifted off.

"It's the hug that he would give you if he could be here," Takeo whispered.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya opened his eyes and found himself looking up into Hanatarou's large, gentle eyes.

"Captain Kuchiki, you're awake," he said, sitting back and lifting his hands away from the noble, "I have finished restoring your reiatsu. I will go and find Captain Unohana."

"Arigato, Hanatarou," Byakuya said, nodding.

He looked out the window at the late afternoon sky and suddenly realized how much time must have passed. He sat up too quickly and dizziness passed over him, making him place a hand over his eyes and take several slow breaths.

_I have to go back. The children are waiting…and…_

The door opened and Captain Unohana walked in. She closed the door and sat down in the chair next to his bed.

"It is good to see you are awake," she said, smiling.

There was something in her expression that sent a chill through the noble.

"I feel much better now," he assured her, "But I do need to return to the spirit dimension. The children are there…and they need me."

"Of course they do," agreed the healer, "And I will release you soon. But before you go, we must talk about the results of the tests I conducted."

She paused and sighed softly.

"I wish that I could tell you that everything would be fine, but the truth is…that there are several anomalies that are affecting your health."

"And those are?" Byakuya asked, looking back at her.

"First…the shock of the severing of the soul bond has taken a heavy toll on your body. You just gave birth and hadn't fully recovered when the bond was broken."

"The king had to shatter the bond," Byakuya explained, "because when Renji was sealed into the dimensional cell, a paradox was created. My soul bonded no longer existed, but I was still here. I started to die."

"And severing the bond did slow your decline significantly," said the healer.

"But it did not stop it, ne?" Byakuya said quietly.

"No. It only delayed it, I am afraid."

Byakuya sighed and looked down at his hands.

"How long?" he asked softly, "or is that an unknown?"

"There is no way to know," Unohana said softly, "Your reiatsu will weaken and you will begin to fade. Because we have never encountered something of this nature, I cannot tell you how quickly or slowly the fading will progress. I have analyzed you from the time you arrived until now and made a general projection of five to ten years…if nothing changes and the process is not stopped. But even then, there is another factor to consider…the severing of Senbonzakura from your soul."

She paused for a moment, studying him thoughtfully.

"I understand why you did not reveal that in the captain's meeting and I will certainly keep it confidential. There would be no reason to reveal it…and if I did, you would have to forfeit your captain's position immediately. I assume that you want time to prepare Takeshi to succeed you?"

"Yes," replied the noble, "I would like to turn the squad and clan leadership over to my son as soon as he is eighteen."

Captain Unohana nodded.

"I can keep this in confidence until that point, but I will insist that you do not endanger your squad by remaining on active duty. I will give you a clearance for advisory and training only…no combat. I will report that this is due to progressive decline in your reiatsu and that the condition is under treatment."

"I understand," said Byakuya, "Rikichi is certainly well enough trained to lead the division and to assist me in preparing Takeshi…and he can take the squad into battle if it is required."

"Just realize that the severing of your bond with Senbonzakura may hasten your decline, limiting the amount of time you have. I will see you regularly while you are in the Seireitei and will consult with the healers in the spirit dimension to see to your treatment there. You will need reiatsu replenishment and stabilization periodically. Your son, Hajime, can also do these things and does not have to be informed as to the nature of your condition. But you must consider informing someone, Captain Kuchiki. Should you encounter a sudden increase in the severity of your symptoms…someone should know what to do."

"I cannot share this with the children now," the noble said, shaking his head, "They are having to come to terms with losing Renji. I do not want them afraid that I will leave them as well."

"But you could decline more quickly than I have projected," the healer objected, "There is no way to know for certain. Captain Kuchiki, may I suggest that as you will be in the presence of the king and his future consort, that you at least confide in them, as they will likely become the guardians of your children, should anything happen to you?"

Byakuya let out a soft breath.

"I will consider that," he said softly.

"Very well. I will have Isane go through your discharge instructions with you and then you may return to your children."

"Arigato, Captain Unohana," Byakuya said, lowering his eyes as she turned and left the room.

Byakuya looked out the window and watched the sky slowly fade from its lovely red and orange to a solemn black. Clouds covered the stars and he scented incoming rain.

_I won't feel this now. I can't. I will be the person our children need, Renji. I will save my tears for when I find you again and will share them only with you, and only when they can be made over into tears of relief._

_You have to come back, Renji…_

_If I should…_

He stopped the thought forcefully.

_You must come back soon._

XXXXXXXXXX

Chimpette lifted her quivering head off of Senbonzakura's chest and looked around them, noting that the reiatsu cage had failed and they had been revealed again.

_Damn. I don't have any powers left to raise it again. And Senbonzakura has nothing left either…_

"Sen?" she queried softly, touching the lovely samurai's fevered face.

The samurai stirred and mumbled unintelligibly. Chimpette's trembling hand reached over and wetted a cloth in the stream they lay next to. She gently washed Senbonzakura's face, then cooled her own. She crawled a short distance and did the same for the unconscious Snakey and started to wash Renji's face. As the cloth touched his skin, Renji's eyes opened and looked up into hers. Chimpette gave him a weak smile.

"Finally decided to join us, ne Renji?" she said in a shaky voice.

"Are you okay?" the redhead asked in a rough whisper.

"Hell no," answered the baboon, "but I'm the only one left conscious, so there's not much choice about who has to do what. Can you move?"

Renji sat up slowly, then sat panting softly.

"How long was I out?" he asked, putting a hand on his head and closing his eyes.

"A week, give or take a day," said Chimpette, washing Snakey's face again and earning a soft groan, "We had to keep moving so that thing wouldn't kill us all and we had to take turns carrying your sorry ass, so we couldn't move very quickly."

Renji scowled at Chimpette, then looked around them.

"Nice place," he commented, then his eye fell on Senbonzakura's collapsed form, "Who the hell is that?"

He blinked and squinted at the lovely, pale face.

"N-not…Byakuya…" he murmured crawling closer.

"Senbonzakura," said Chimpette, nodding, "He was too sick to wear all of that heavy crap and he's unconscious so he can't yell at me about taking off the mask."

"But…Senbonzakura?" Renji went on, "Does that mean…B-byakuya's…here?"

Chimpette shook her head, wincing as a pain shot through it.

"Sen said that his connection with his master has been severed. He has been getting slowly weaker…even weaker than this fever should have made him. Renji, I think he's dying. I don't know what to do."

"And if Senbonzakura is fading, then…then Byakuya has got to be affected too!" said Renji, trying to climb to his feet, "We have to…"

His words disappeared into a guttural cry of pain and the redhead collapsed onto the grass. Chimpette shook her head and crawled to him, leaning over him as he tried to sit up, but couldn't lift himself.

"We tried to heal you," the baboon said softly, "but your back was broken and we were having to constantly move you. Maybe if we can get back, then…"

She trailed off as footsteps sounded on the stony path across the stream.

"Renji!" Chimpette hissed, "Renji, what are we going to do?"

Her heart froze as someone splashed down into the water and turned in their direction. He left the stream and stepped onto the shore, staring as he came abreast of the collapsed shinigami and the zanpakutou spirits.

"Who…?" Renji began, gazing up at the greenish skin, silvery hair and golden eyes of the odd looking youth.

"I am Kanaye," he said, looking around, "We need to move if we are going to escape the beast."

"Yeah," said Renji, "Well moving's going to be a bit of a problem because half our group is unconscious and the other half can't walk. So you can see how we might have some trouble with…"

He broke off as golden light rose around the young man and slowly enveloped their group.

"Hey…what're you doing?" objected Renji, trying to rise and falling back with another strangled cry.

"Be calm," Kanaye said, shaking his head, "Don't struggle."

"Why do I feel like this is a really bad thing?" asked Chimpette as the light became blinding and seemed to sink beneath their skin, "Oh shit…we are so screwed…"


	8. The Offer

**Chapter 8: The Offer**

"Daddy!" squealed the dark-haired toddler in Hotaru's arms, reaching for Rikichi, "Kiss it better?"

Hotaru kissed their daughter on the top of her head and tightened an arm around her. The girl leaned forward, her dark curls tumbling into her lively brown eyes, and planted a loud kiss on the unconscious shinigami's cheek.

"Daddy!" she cried, patting Rikichi's cheek and starting to whimper.

"It's all right, Shika," said Rukia from the chair beside Hotaru's, "Daddy Rikichi is just resting. He needs rest if he is going to feel better."

"Kiss it better?" repeated Shika, tipping forward to give Rikichi another slobbery toddler kiss on the cheek.

"He still feels feverish," Hotaru said, worry in her dark eyes, "It just doesn't seem to get any better."

"Mommy kiss it better?" asked Shika, patting Rikichi's fevered face.

"All right," Hotaru said, giving Rikichi a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Now, if anything can help your daddy get better, it's kisses from you and your mommy," said Rukia, "Shika, why don't you come with me and we'll go and…"

Rukia broke off as the door opened and Byakuya stepped into the room.

"Brother!" said Rukia, looking surprised, "You're back from the wedding so soon?"

"There wasn't a wedding," Byakuya said quietly, as Rukia's eyes found his normal sized abdomen.

"You…you've had your baby! Brother…you and Renji…"

"Rukia, something serious has happened."

His sister's violet eyes darkened and grew worried, and Hotaru slipped an arm around her shoulders.

"Word came from the head captain, ordering me to investigate the thing that attacked Rikichi's group in the valley. I had just delivered twins and my reiatsu was low, and Renji knew of the valley, as I did. He offered to go in my place."

Rukia's eyes widened, sensing where he was headed.

"Renji?" she said softly.

"He went to the valley with the elder Hajime, Takeo, Takeshi and Chisaki. They stayed on the rim as ordered, but as Chisaki flew over the valley, something took hold of her."

"Is she all right?" Rukia asked, putting a hand over her mouth, "She…"

"Renji and Takeshi were able to free her and Hajime was able to seal the demon back in the dimensional cell he broke out of."

"Well…that's good, but…"

"As the cell was being sealed, the demon took hold of Renji. Takeo tried to pull him out and Hajime tried to free him, but…he was pulled into the rift as it closed."

Rukia stared at him, as though not comprehending.

"Then, we have to get him out," she said, meeting Byakuya's eyes, "We can't leave him…"

"We cannot open the cell from this side, Rukia. It is to our dimension, as if that one does not exist. The…only way for Renji to return…is for the demon to break through again."

Rukia's face paled and her hand gripped an equally white-faced Hotaru's.

"Then…what if…it doesn't? Then…Renji is…?"

"He cannot get back to us unless the demon breaks through," the noble repeated gently, "I am sorry. I was assigned to go to the valley…"

"No, Brother," Rukia said, blinking back tears and shaking her head, "You had just had your babies. It was right for Renji to go. He was just looking out for you, because he loves you."

They stared at each other in silence for a long moment, then Rukia took a steadying breath and composed herself.

"What can I do to help, Byakuya?" she asked softly, her voice trembling.

"There is not much that can be done," the noble said, tightening his lips and shaking his head, "The royal guard and Prince Kazuhiko are stationed at the valley. If the demon breaks through again, we will know immediately and we will, of course, attempt to determine Renji's fate and bring him home, if it is possible. But the threat from the demon is very great. It can only be killed by a royal blade, which Renji possesses, but not all royal blades command enough power. We must hope that Renji is able to endure until…"

"I understand, Byakuya," Rukia said with forced calm, "The chances are very slim that he will come back."

She released Hotaru's hand and walked to the window.

"I understand the reality," she said in a low, controlled tone, "but I will not accept that this is over. I am going to the valley. I know I don't have a royal blade. I won't engage the demon. But I owe it to Renji to be there."

She sighed softly, closing her eyes.

"When everyone else we knew was gone, Renji and I held on to each other. It's because of him that I grew strong and qualified for the academy. Byakuya, if you need help with the children, then I will be there for you. But as soon as possible, I have to go to the valley."

She opened her eyes and sought Byakuya's. The noble met her eyes with quiet understanding and deep respect.

"Go," he said softly.

"What about…"

"I will be at the manor to help with the children once Rikichi comes home," said Hotaru, "You need to go, Rukia."

"I must go as well," said Byakuya, "The children are in the spirit dimension. Takeo, Takeshi, Chisaki and the elder Hajime were all infected by the demon with a toxic reiatsu. I have to make sure they have been treated."

He glanced down at his vice captain's flushed face.

"Has Captain Unohana been informed about the toxic reiatsu?" he asked Hotaru.

"I don't think so," she said, shaking her head, "We haven't heard anything about what you're telling us. And he hasn't opened his eyes since they brought him in."

"He has likely been infected, then. But because the demon is from before our time, our healers would not have dealt with it before. I will go and inform Captain Unohana about the need for the anti-toxin," Byakuya assured her, "Rukia, I will take you to the valley, but I want your word that you will remain under the protection of Prince Kazuhiko and the royal guard."

"Of course," Rukia said, nodding.

"Come then," the noble said turning towards the door, "I will speak to Captain Unohana and then we will be on our way."

He looked back at his cousin and met her eyes warmly.

"Do not worry, Cousin," he assured Hotaru, "The others affected by the toxin have recovered with treatment. I am sure that Rikichi will be all right once he has been given the anti-toxin."

"Thank you, Byakuya," Hotaru said softly.

She pulled her daughter close and sat down next to Rikichi again as the noble and his sister left the room.

"Daddy…" Shika sighed, climbing onto the bed and resting her head on Rikichi's shoulder.

"Don't worry," Hotaru said, leaning forward to kiss her cheek, "Daddy will be fine."

She thought of Renji and the members of Rikichi's squad who had been killed, and gave a guilty sigh of relief that her husband had been so lucky.

_I'm so glad you came back, Rikichi. You changed everything about my life. I don't know what I would do if I lost you…_

Her eyes widened as the sixth division vice captain's hand lifted and shakily set itself on their daughter's cheek.

"Sh-shika," he whispered, opening his eyes and slowly turning his head to give her a faint smile.

"Daddy," the girl said, yawning and cuddling closer.

"You see," said Hotaru, touching her fingers to Rikichi's where they rested on their daughter's face and meeting his eyes lovingly, "Daddy is strong, Shika."

"Strong like Uncle Renji?"

Tears rose in Hotaru's eyes and she was grateful for the fact that Rikichi wasn't lucid enough to be stricken with the news about his longtime friend.

"Yes," she whispered, "Strong like Uncle Renji."

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji felt healing power sinking into his back and forced his eyes open.

"Don't try to move," said Kanaye warningly, from where he knelt on the bed beside Renji, "I have placed a restrictive kido on your body to immobilize it so that it will be able to heal properly. If you wish to regain your mobility, then you will rest and not move about too much."

"Where are we?" the redhead asked, looking around the room.

"This is my home," said the golden-eyed youth, "I brought you here to heal you…so that when you are well, we can escape this place."

"What? How?" Renji asked,

"That doorway the beast opened," Kanaye said calmly, "We will destroy it and break through."

"Ah…uh-huh," said Renji skeptically, "Right, well, did you happen to notice that that thing out there also wants the doorway opened? That thing wants to go into my world…and I don't think it wants to go there to sniff the flowers and drink tea with the people there…"

"No," said Kanaye, "The demon is hungry for souls to devour. It has lived here in solitude for as long as I can remember, and has suffered horribly because it hungers but cannot feed."

"And you want to let it into our world? I don't think so!" Renji exclaimed, "I'm not opening any door until that thing is dead!"

"Oh?" said Kanaye quietly, "And how will you kill it? You cannot walk, shinigami. You cannot even stand. Your weapon is not strong enough to kill the demon. Your only hope for survival is to regain enough strength to attack the doorway. I will help you do that."

"How?"

The youth gave him a fleeting smile.

"That zanpakutou that arrived with you? Who is his master?" he asked.

"Why?"

"Because…I sense that the spirit is dying. I also sense that, like yours, it is a royal blade…and that it is bound somehow to yours. You wield a divine attack, don't you?"

"How would you know about that?" Renji asked, frowning, "Who _are_ you? And how did you even get here?"

"I do not know," answered Kanaye, pulling his hands away from the redhead's back, "I have been here as long as I can remember."

"What is this place? Can you tell me that?" Renji asked.

"This is a dimensional cell," the youth explained, "It was created by the king's council to remove demons from the three worlds. While in this place, we are removed from that other place. It is as though we do not exist anymore…to them."

"But…it seemed like a whole world of its own," Renji mused, "It's huge and has things growing…"

"His majesty's council meant for it to be humane. It is only meant to confine the demon, not to punish him. The lack of souls to feed on is punishment enough. It causes the beast to hunger endlessly."

"But it won't die of that hunger?"

"No. It craves souls out of habit," explained Kanaye, "not from physical need. In that other world, the demon devoured souls to increase its power. It became very strong. That's why it was banished."

"It was like a hollow?" Renji asked.

"It was far more powerful than any hollow," laughed the youth, "but enough about that. You will rest here now. I will be back to continue your healing later. I have brought food. You should eat…if not for not yourself, then for the child you carry."

"What?" Renji asked, blinking.

"It is very early, but you are with child."

"I…I am?" the redhead whispered.

"Yes, but you should know, entry into this place has halted its progression."

"What? Why?" Renji asked, staring.

"This is a non-world," the youth explained, "We are removed from the cycle of birth and rebirth. There are no souls here to fill your child's body. Your child would be stillborn. I am sure you don't want that."

"N-no, but…will…will it be all right? Will it survive that way?"

"Your presence here has suspended its growth, but it should not be harmed. When the doorway is opened and we return to that other world, then your child will begin to grow again. But…there is also another way to make your child grow."

"How?"

Kanaye smiled.

"We can create a soul to fill your child's body."

"Wait…if my child can hold a soul, what happened to the one it had? Where is my kid's soul if it isn't in his or her body?" asked Renji, struggling to turn.

"Hold still," Kanaye directed him, "You will hurt your back."

He moved to Renji's side and released the kido field, then helped the redhead into a sitting position and propped him up on pillows. He reset the kido field and stepped back.

"You…are soul bonded? Or you were."

"I am," said Renji, looking confused.

"You are soul bonded to that samurai's master?"

"Yeah…why?"

Kanaye nodded and bit his lip gently.

"Then the young soul was not yet in your child's body. It would have been forming in the link between you. When you passed through the doorway, and it closed behind you, you left existence. It will have created a paradox and the child's soul within the link will have died with your soul bonded."

"What?" Renji whispered, going pale, "But if Byakuya died, then…I should have died too!"

"You are removed from existence. The rule of that bond does not apply here. So…you will survive."

"But if Byakuya died, then if I go back…"

"You will die. You cannot leave this place, shinigami…unless you wish to die. But I will help you to give birth to your child here…so that you will not be alone. All I ask is that you help me to open the doorway."

"How can we create a soul?"

"We will need the help of the two zanpakutous. They are linked as you and your soul bonded were. I can use my powers to affect them so that they can mate and create a soul cluster. I can alter it into a shinigami soul and place it in your child's body. Then your pregnancy will progress. You will have your child."

"But look, if you have powers like that, why can't you break out of here yourself?"

The youth gave him an odd look.

"I do not know," he said quietly, "But your power…your divine attack is strong enough. So I will help you to regain your strength and have your child, and you will help me to escape. Rest now. I will return soon."

"Kanaye," Renji said, reaching out to touch the youth's arm.

He gasped in surprise as his hand passed through the youth's body.

"What the hell?" he said, his eyes widening, "What in kami's name _are_ you?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Senbonzakura's eyes opened and blinked, then slowly took in the room around him. He sat up slowly, taking in the soft light of the stone chamber and the coolness of the air.

"We must be underground then?" he whispered, sitting up.

He heard footsteps, then the door to his chamber clanked open. Chimpette stepped into the room, smiling at seeing him awake. She shut the door behind her as the samurai looked around for his clothes and mask.

"Where are my things?" he asked sharply.

"Ah," said Chimpette, "We had to leave them off while you were so feverish. We were lucky to have been found before we died of that fever."

"We were found?" Senbonzakura said, hope lighting his dark blue eyes, "Then Byakuya…"

"Sorry," said the baboon woman, "We weren't found by them. We are still locked away in this other place. But, this strange kid found us, just as we were about to die from that fever. He cured us, and he said he wants to help us get out of here. He's trying to heal Renji, but, ah…my master was very badly injured."

Chimpette's eyes softened at the disappointment and worry in the samurai's expression. She moved closer and sat down next to him on the bed.

"Don't worry," she said bracingly, "We're going to get out of here. You'll be back and connected with your master soon."

"I hope so," sighed Senbonzakura, standing.

"Where are you going?" asked Chimpette, rising with him, "Kanaye said you should rest."

"I am going to get my things," said the samurai, "I cannot be seen like this."

He started across the room, but paused midway across and put a hand to his head, swaying. Chimpette flash stepped forward and caught him as his legs collapsed. She helped him back into the bed and sat down next to him again.

"Sen," she said softly, "We have to find a way to strengthen you. You are going to fade away if we don't find a way soon."

"I know that," said the samurai, "but I don't know that there is anything we can do."

Chimpette leaned forward and took his face in her hands.

"We will find a way," she said, leaning forward and bringing her lips to his, "Somehow."

The samurai froze, his eyes widening as Chimpette's lips touched his and his reiatsu flared.

"What is this?" he breathed against her lips, "What is happening?"


	9. The Fallen Angel

**Chapter 9: The Fallen Angel**

Akemi sat silently at elder Hajime's side, his Kuchiki father's slender, pale hand curled into his and the beginnings of peacefulness touching his troubled face. Beneath the veil of sleep, Hajime's mind slowly circled, quietly recalling the younger days of his romance with the spirit king.

He rested comfortably on his lover's naked shoulder, looking upward into the widespread branches of the ancient sakura, the heat of the king's release still warming him inside and the taste of his lord's kisses still pleasuring his lips. He picked up the book of poetry that had fallen from his hand as the king had appeared behind him, and slipped his arms around the young man's slim waist, surprising him with a sudden flurry of kisses and a slow fall to the soft grass beneath the tree. Leaving his clothing undone and his plundered body shamelessly bared, he lifted the small book and opened to the page he had been reading before. At the gentle sound of his voice, the king smiled in half-sleep, and let himself be carried away on the lovely words Hajime whispered into his ear.

**Weep Not For The Fallen Angel**

_**Weep not for the fallen angel**_

_**For the one who saw destruction on the horizon and cast himself down**_

_**For where his body lands and breaks apart**_

_**The world will be touched with heaven's warmth**_

_**And his comrade's soft spoken blessings**_

_**XXX**_

_**Where each strand of hair floats down and comes to rest**_

_**A sea of new, young grass will rise**_

_**Sweet, fragrant flowers will freshen the tainted air**_

_**And groves of strong pine will reach for the stars he fell from**_

_**XXX**_

_**Where his wings erupted into white flame**_

_**The scattered feathers will bring virgin snow**_

_**Sprinkling down in peaceful patterns**_

_**And setting souls to sleep while life is renewed**_

_**XXX**_

_**Where his porcelain skin seethed and turned to ash**_

_**Whispers of kindness and love will flutter downward**_

_**And everything and everyone they touch**_

_**Will share in the gentle spread of peace over the land**_

_**XXX**_

_**From his shattered bones will mountains rise**_

_**And his eyes, though closed will be the quiet sentinels**_

_**His folded hands will hold that place in safety**_

_**And his heart, though stilled, will be remembered in all things brought to life**_

_**By his sacrifice…**_

_**XXX**_

"What was that?" whispered a soft male voice, breaking into the silence that had seemed to envelop him, "What were you saying? It was beautiful…and sad. Please open your eyes."

Images flashed in his awakening mind…standing on the ridge and looking down into the too quiet valley, seeing the beast that began to emerge as it struck at Chisaki, casting the sealing spell that sealed Renji's fate, the heavy explosion that repelled him, the devastation as the rift closed between Renji and them, watching as the twins left the valley, then looking into the young man's eyes that he knew must be more devastated than his own and feeling the ground give way beneath him.

"T-takeo…" he whispered, his eyelids fluttering.

Akemi smiled and squeezed his hand gently.

"Takeo is in the infirmary. He is going to be fine. Do you need anything? Shall I summon Akio?"

"N-no," Hajime breathed, blinking and staring as the room came into focus.

His eyes met Akemi's, following the outline of his face and taking in the strong resemblance to Renji. Akemi heard his soft, wounded inhale and saw the guilt that rose in his dark blue eyes.

"Akemi," Hajime whispered tremulously, "_Segare_…I am…"

The prince quickly touched his fingers to his father's lips, stopping the words. Hajime's eyes widened and blinked in surprise. Akemi gazed down at him with deep calm in his features.

"Do not apologize to me…ever," he said softly, "You have nothing to be sorry for."

He paused for a moment and brushed the stray hairs away from his father's eyes, then leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

"But you must know what happened…how I…"

"Your quick action saved my son's children.

"But they also sent your only son into that awful place. And if he survived being sealed away, then there is still the demon to contend with. Akemi…"

"Please Father, don't. You have always acted without hesitation to protect others. You gave up your life once to protect my other father. And before you did, you made sure that I was safe, and that I would be loved…b-because you knew…"

He broke off and brushed away an errant tear, then sniffed softly and continued.

"You knew you were going to die…and still…you thought only of the ones you were leaving behind. You have…so much courage, so I will honor that by showing you how you also made me more courageous. I will not despair. I still believe that Renji is alive…and that he will come back to us. And I need you to believe that too. After all, you gave up your life, never expecting to return…and yet you are here. And not only that. Yours…was the hand that separated me from that hollow…and brought me home. If _you _are still here after all of that, then surely there is still hope for my son."

Hajime seemed to breathe in the words, drawing on them to steel himself against the emotions that still roiled inside him. He sat up slowly, then slid his legs over the edge of the bed.

"Wait! What are you doing?" Akemi objected, "You are still healing! Lie down!"

Hajime gave his son a gentle smile and rested a hand on his shoulder as he pulled himself to his feet.

"I will be all right now," he said, strength resonating in his eyes, "But…I have to do what I can to assist Byakuya. It is my duty to care for Renji's family until his return."

His hand curved affectionately around his son's face.

"Thank you, Akemi, for reminding me that our fate is not cast in stone…but with our force of will and our strength, can sometimes be remade."

Akemi heard the hiss of a beautifully swift flash step, and then found himself alone in the room. He released a soft sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again in surprise as a hand came to rest on his shoulder and he found himself facing the lovely elfin spirit of his father's zanpakutou.

"Zetsumei Kakyoku!" he exclaimed softly.

The elf spirit nodded and bowed his head respectfully.

"You have my gratitude," the zanpakutou spirit said quietly, "My master is deeply conflicted right now. He blames himself even now for Renji's fate."

"He shouldn't," said Akemi sadly, "We _all_ know what the consequences would have been, had he not taken action. But how can we make him understand?"

"You did reach him, Akemi," the spirit assured him, "And while his heart still aches and his hands tremble with guilt, Hajime is very strong. He will devote himself to giving Renji Abarai every chance to return home."

"But what can he do?" asked the prince, "He hasn't a royal blade. He is incredibly strong, but…"

The spirit smiled at him encouragingly.

"Do not worry. I sense something in the offing between my master and the king. I think that it bodes well for your son. Do not worry for Hajime. He has always found his way, even through the most difficult of times. And he will pass through this as well."

Akemi nodded gratefully.

"Thank you," he said, bowing his head and closing his eyes as the elfin spirit faded away.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya picked up Kisho, flinching inwardly as the baby began to cry. Not so much in the way he had before, the noble noted, but a softer, more soulful sound.

"What is it?" he asked in a low, comforting tone, "You have been fed and changed, and you weren't crying until I picked you up. And I already know that if I put you down, then you will only cry louder…"

"Would you like me to hold him while you hold Chiasa?" asked Hajime the elder from the doorway.

Byakuya sighed as Hajime approached him, then yielded the fussy infant to his gently smiling ancestor. To his surprise and relief, Kisho's cries faded and the baby stared up into Hajime's lovely face and reached out to touch him. Hajime kissed the baby's fingertips.

"There now," he said quietly, "He just needed a moment to settle."

"Arigato," Byakuya said, picking up a cooing Chiasa, "I am beside myself with him. I know all babies cry and some are more colicky than others, but this child…"

"I understand," said Hajime, nodding, "but you have other things you must focus on. Let me see to him so that you can talk to the other children. They have been called to the lounging room. His majesty is there and Akemi will be there momentarily."

"Again, arigato, Hajime."

They left the nursery and walked down the hallway, turned and crossed over to the next hallway, then entered the lounging room. Takeo sat quietly on the floor near the elder twins, who were holding Akane and Akiko on their laps. Hajime spotted Byakuya and scampered over to join him as he sat down, holding Chiasa in his lap. The king nodded in welcome as Hajime sat down next to him, placing a now sleeping Kisho in his lap.

"It is good to see you are feeling well enough to be up and about," the king said, leaning over to offer his fiancée a gentle kiss, "I wonder, though, if you shouldn't have rested longer."

"I will be fine," the noble assured the monarch, "And it was important for me to be here. As much as my actions were necessary, I owe our grandson. I have to assist Byakuya in any way that I can."

The king slipped an arm around Hajime and the noble let his head rest against the king's shoulder as Byakuya gathered close to the children.

"Are you okay, Dad?" asked young Hajime, "You look like you're hurting."

"I am fine," he assured the boy, "but I do have to make sure that all of you understand what has happened and that any questions you have are answered. Takeo, Takeshi, Chisaki and Hajime, you already understand the situation, but your sisters will need time to absorb what it really means. I will try to explain, but I do not expect they that they will really understand."

Akane climbed off of Chisaki's lap and scampered over to Byakuya, looking on curiously as Chiasa sucked happily on her fingers. The red haired toddler giggled and stuck her fingers in her mouth. Young Hajime rolled his eyes.

"Here we go again," he muttered, "And Daddy Ren just got her to stop that, too!"

Akane's head lifted and she quickly yanked her fingers out of her mouth as she looked around questingly.

"Daddy Red?" she queried, blinking.

Akiko tilted her head.

"Do a job?" she said, her eyes wide.

"Yes," said Byakuya, drawing the toddlers' eyes to him, "Daddy Ren went to do an important job. And while he was doing that job…something happened."

He thought carefully for a moment, avoiding the eyes of the other children.

"Akane, Akiko," he went on, "Do you remember when Akiko lost her shoes in the long grass at home?"

Akane clapped her hands.

"Found 'em!" she yelled.

"Yes," Byakuya agreed, "We did find them. We had to search through the long grass, and it took a long time, and we were very tired when we finally found them."

"Found 'em!" the twins laughed.

Byakuya nodded.

"But do you remember when we lost the purple ball at the lake?" he asked.

"Lost it," Akiko said, shrugging, "We looked and looked."

"Yes," agreed Byakuya, "We tried very hard, but we did not find the purple ball. It was lost. We have told you that Daddy Ren was doing an important job. And while he was doing that job, he became lost."

"Found 'em?" said Akane, looking around.

"We are hoping that we will find Daddy Ren, but…"

He paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. Akiko climbed off Takeshi's lap and lifted up a pillow that was lying on the floor.

"Not here!" she announced.

Akane ran over to help lift another pillow.

"Not here!" they said together.

The two girls continued to search the room as Byakuya looked on helplessly, his words failing him. He let out a soft defeated breath and looked down into Chiasa's contented face, still uncertain.

"Dad," said Takeo, watching as his sisters continued to run about, looking behind furniture and curtains and yelling, 'Not here!' "I think it's okay to let them look. I think they'll understand with time."

Byakuya nodded briefly.

"I agree, and we can certainly answer their questions as they come. But there are still things we have to say. Takeo, before I left the Seireitei, I was called back to the first division for a private meeting with the head captain."

"Yeah?" Takeo said, looking unnerved, "And?"

"And…although he certainly understands that Renji could emerge at any time from the rift, he says that…"

Byakuya broke off and took a steadying breath.

"He…says that you must assume control of the squad…and…as soon as possible, you are to take the captain's exam. He said that he would wait…but that it is not reasonable to expect that the demon will break through again any time soon. After all, none of the ones imprisoned in those cells has broken out before…and with the outlay of power it took to open the cell, the demon would likely have been…severely weakened."

He closed his eyes and tightened his jaw against the tears that stung at his eyes. He started to say more, but elder Hajime's voice stopped him.

"I will accompany you back to Kuchiki Manor and complete Takeo's training for the captain's exam," he said, looking at Takeo, "if…that is acceptable."

"But," Byakuya said, looking up at him, "You have just returned from a long stay at Kuchiki Manor. And the two of you were supposed to be married…"

Hajime glanced at the king, then met Byakuya's eyes again.

"His majesty and I can be married at any time. But right now, our focus must be on taking care of all of you as you adjust. I also want to be near the valley."

"But you do not wield a royal sword," objected Byakuya.

The king looked at Hajime's bowed head and smiled lovingly.

"Hajime will see to Takeo's promotion, and then he will return to the spirit dimension and I will see to it that he is armed properly to do battle against the demon."

Hajime's head lifted and his eyes met the king's with perfect trust.

"I tell you now," said the king, "Should the rift open again, my Hajime will be the hand that slays the demon."

**(AN**Sorry Renji and the zanpakutous didn't get into this chapter. I wanted to post tonight as I'm working for the next couple of days and won't have much writing time. I promise to catch up with Renji and his bunch next chapter…and that I will get working on that ASAP.)**


	10. A Night of Remembrance

**Chapter 10: A Night of Remembrance**

"Where are you going?" asked Chimpette, rising with Senbonzakura, "Kanaye said you should rest."

"I am going to get my things," said the samurai, "I cannot be seen like this."

He started across the room, but paused midway across and put a hand to his head, swaying. Chimpette flash stepped forward and caught him as his legs collapsed. She helped him back into the bed and sat down next to him again.

"Sen," she said softly, "We have to find a way to strengthen you. You are going to fade away if we don't find a way soon."

"I know that," said the samurai, "but I don't know that there is anything we can do."

Chimpette leaned forward and took his face in her hands.

"We will find a way," she said, leaning forward and bringing her lips to his, "Somehow."

The samurai froze, his eyes widening as Chimpette's lips touched his and his reiatsu flared.

"What is this?" he breathed against her lips, "What is happening?"

"What you are experiencing is the effect of your masters' soul bonding," said Kanaye from the doorway, startling the two spirits.

Senbonzakura drew back, blushing as Chimpette stood and glared at the pale youth.

"Why are you slinking around like that?" she asked haughtily, "Are you trying to give us a heart attack?"

"I am trying to help you to keep that samurai alive," Kanaye answered calmly, not reacting at all to Chimpette's ire, "If you want Senbonzakura as well as Renji Abarai's baby to live, then you will need my help."

"My master is not pregnant!" objected Chimpette, "Surely, Snakey and I would have sensed it if he was!"

"You did not sense it because the child had not yet received its soul from within the soul bond. That soul likely died when the doorway closed and the soul bond was severed. The severing would have caused the samurai's master to die from the shock, and the child's soul would have died with him."

"My master is not dead," said Senbonzakura, "I would feel it if Byakuya died."

"You are in a non-world," said Kanaye, his strange golden eyes blinking placidly, "You are cut off from him and wouldn't sense his life or death."

"Then he could still be alive," said Chimpette.

"How so?" asked the youth, "You know how the soul bond works. Byakuya is dead. And Senbonzakura will die too…unless…"

Senbonzakura and Chimpette exchanged querying glances.

"Unless what?" they asked together.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Renji! Renji!" Snakey hissed, shaking the sleeping shinigami.

Obtaining no answer, the snake boy turned and smacked the redhead in the face with the end of his tail. Renji groaned and stirred sluggishly.

"Renji! Get up, you stupid, lazy ass! I have to tell you something. Renji!"

"Ugh," groaned Renji, blinking and sitting up slowly and grabbing his head, "Ow! What the hell? Why are you hitting me in the head, you little freak? You don't think I've taken enough damage? Leave off, will you?"

"But Renji! I found something. You have to come with me."

"Idiot!" Renji fumed, "Are you stupid or something? I can't walk! How in the hell do you expect me to go anywhere? And what do you want to show me anyway?"

"Hmmm," said the snake boy thoughtfully, "Perhaps I'll have to just tell you."

"Great," muttered Renji, shifting to stretch and catching his breath sharply as intense pain shot through his back, "So tell me, before I die of old age."

"I found a secret room. Kanaye went in and I saw where the hidden door is."

Renji rolled his eyes.

"Great," he muttered, "So we can go and steal the guy's underwear while he sleeps. So why is this important?"

Snakey slapped Renji across the face with his tail.

"Ow, dammit! Stop that!" the redhead snapped, "And get to the point."

"He doesn't sleep there," the snake boy said, narrowing his eyes, "I slipped into the room while he was gone. It is a laboratory."

Renji frowned thoughtfully and reached up to scratch the back of his neck.

"A laboratory?" he repeated, "That could be useful. Maybe there's something there that would give us a clue as to who that guy is. I want you to go back, Snakey. Get in there and bring back anything you find that could be…"

"I can't take anything out of there," Snakey said, shaking his head, "If you try to carry something out of the room, it disappears and just returns to the room. Everything in the room seems to have an enchantment on it."

Renji thought for a moment.

"Then you have to go back and search the place. Or did you so that before?"

"No," explained Snakey, "He came back while I was in there, trying to look around. I hid and slipped out after he left. But I can go back in and look around."

"Do that," said Renji, "but be careful not to get caught. Obviously, this guy has something to hide. And I think he's more dangerous than he looks."

"Duh…like I didn't know that," said Snakey, crossing his arms, "Sheesh, you must think I'm stupid or something."

"Of course," said Renji, "You're a brain dead, empty headed twerp. But you're also my zanpakutou, and we're going to need each other to get us all out of this. Get outta here, okay? I think the less of you he sees, the better. Find out what you can and then come back."

"Sure thing, Renji," the snake boy said, scampering away.

Renji sighed and laid back against the pillows, looking down at his useless legs.

"Damn it!" he swore softly, "I have to get back on my feet…"

He clenched his teeth and managed to move them enough to let them drop over the edge of the bed. Slowly, he slid off of the bed, holding on as he carefully stood.

_Oh shit, shit, shit, this hurts so bad!_

He only had half his weight on his feet and his legs were shaking and threatening to collapse. He clenched his teeth harder and forced himself to let go and stand fully. Intense pain flashed in his back and legs and Renji gave a sharp howl and crashed to the floor.

_Damn!_ he thought as the room darkened and went into a slow spin, _I have to get back on my goddamned feet! For Byakuya, for our kids…for everyone that could be hurt if that demon escapes._

He tried to turn to drag himself to his face, but screamed as pain tore through his back again.

"Damn it!" he howled, grabbing onto the bed, "I am going to do this if it fucking kills me!"

He dragged himself to his feet, leaning heavily on the bed, and loosing a stream of obscenities. His legs shook threateningly, but he fired his reiatsu through the area. The shock of it made him scream and nearly lose consciousness. But slowly, as he stood, clinging to the bed, the pain began to recede somewhat.

_Oh god…oh god…oh god, I know it's going to fucking hurt if I…_

He forced the thought away and let go of the bed. He had one breathless moment of standing, then he screamed again and crashed to the floor, losing consciousness completely.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hajime?" said the king, stepping into the bedroom they shared.

There was no answer, but he sensed his lover's presence on the balcony. He found Hajime standing silently on the balcony, dressed in a shimmering blue yukata and shining softly with moonlight. He was facing away from the king, but he sensed his lord's approach and his lips curved into a smile.

"Hajime," the king said again, slipping his arms around the noble and burying his face in the long strands of raven black hair.

"My lord," Hajime answered, turning into the king's arms and gazing up into the face that of all living creatures, only he was allowed to see.

"You are still conflicted, my love," the king said, kissing the noble's soft lips, then tracing them lightly with a fingertip, "but as is your way, you have chosen to employ your strength, rather than to give in to despair. I know this is difficult for you, but you are clear on the path you must take."

"I am," Hajime answered softly, "His majesty has said that my hand is the one that will destroy the demon, and if my lord has said this, then it shall be as he said."

The king nodded in approval.

"As always, your faith in me is unwavering, Hajime. But you must realize that the power I will give you to fight the demon demands a price from the one who will wield it."

"If my lord has determined that I must walk this path to reach my grandson and return him to his family, then I will take what steps and make what sacrifices are necessary," Hajime said calmly.

The king cupped his lover's handsome face in his hands and the two exchanged slow deep kisses under the moonlight. After a time, the king placed his hand in Hajime's and led him back inside their room and to the bed they shared.

"I know you are aware," the king said, "that the flow of my seed and reiatsu into your shinigami body has altered it. You are no longer a simple shinigami, but have moved onto the path of transcendence. It began with the first taking, and progressed when you sacrificed yourself to save me from the evil of the omoi oujou talisman that had corrupted you. I sensed upon your return that you had reached a state of transition and we were soul bonded at that time, meaning that you became a divine being. There are several pathways that you might take from here, but only one will hand you the power you need to slay the demon. It is also the most dangerous path."

Hajime looked calmly into the king's red-brown eyes and waited wordlessly. The king climbed onto the bed and knelt, then motioned for the noble to join him. Hajime knelt, facing him and waiting patiently.

"Were you a wicked man, you would use your current power to challenge me and we would fight to the death for the crown."

"I would never willingly raise my hand to his majesty," Hajime said firmly.

"No," said the king, touching his face affectionately, "Not even that power of the talisman was able to make you do that. It is not in your nature. If you hungered for control over others, you could challenge the Head Councilor for leadership of the King's Advisory Council, but you are not so self serving, I think."

"No," Hajime said, laughing softly at the suggestion, "It reminds me too much of what I escaped when I ran from Kuchiki Manor to avoid being made head of household."

"As I expected," agreed the monarch, "But there is a position within the monarchy that has been left unfilled for hundreds of years, a critical post that can only ever be attained through the proving of perfect faith, iron will and the ability of the soul to successfully control the power associated with the position."

Hajime's eyes widened.

"Your majesty," he said breathlessly, "You wish for me to attempt to become…?"

"The King's Samurai," the king finished, "The position has not been filled after the death of the last samurai because until now, there was no one who had evidenced the traits necessary to achieve transcendence. You have proven yourself worthy and must only pass two more tests that will complete your transcendence and give you that power. You might well have asked yourself why I did not simply suggest marrying now to make Zetsumei Kakyoku a royal blade. We could certainly do that, but from having connected with the reiatsu of the demon that was left on your body, I have come to believe that there is little chance that a single blade could kill the demon, even though that blade might be royal. It would take a joining of two transcendent powers…yours and mine. But the only way to bind our powers into one blade is for you to become my living blade, my samurai. And to accomplish that, you must first pass the final two tests. I must first make your body a vessel strong enough to channel my full power, and then you must be accepted by my own zanpakutou. To fail either test means certain death, Hajime."

The noble gasped softly.

"And because we are soul bonded, you would die as well! My lord, you cannot risk yourself! Not now. Not this way!" Hajime objected, "We all want Renji to return, but…"

"Would you not yield your life to save him?"

"Not now that it is bound to yours! How can you think of such a thing? I know he is our grandson, but…!"

"Hajime, consider this," said the king calmly, "Consider what will happen when the demon breaks through again. Do not assume it won't. I have seen that it is strong enough…especially if it takes control of the divine power of Senbonzakura and Zabimaru. It will break free. And I tell you now that no single blade, not even a royal one can kill that demon, do we not have a duty to the three worlds to protect it from that demon?"

Hajime placed an open palm over his pounding heart.

"We do, my lord," he said more softly, "but…"

"I am monarch over the three worlds. That is my task, and it became yours as well when we soul bonded, my Hajime. And we are bound to protect the three worlds from powers like this that threaten them, no matter what the cost to ourselves. I have named young Hajime my heir, and he will ascend if we die. But I believe that you are strong enough now to stand as my samurai. Will you do this, my Hajime?"

Hajime closed his eyes, his mind spinning as he considered the price of failure. But even as his heart quivered inside him, it whispered to him that he was strong enough, that he had fought hard enough, and that he was worthy. He opened his eyes again and found the king's.

"I will," he whispered, leaning forward and brushing his lips against the king's, "If my lord believes this is the proper pathway, then I shall walk it and see it to its end."

The king gave him an approving smile.

"I knew my faith was well placed with you. Come now, Hajime. Before we go into the gardens to prepare you, lie down with me and let us partake of each other."

Hajime yielded readily as the king brought him down on their bed and bared his slender body, but even as he disappeared into the blinding heat of their passion, his heart ached at the danger in what they were about to do.

_If I am not strong enough, then everything will fall apart all around us. So I will be strong enough. I swear on my life, I will!_

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya stood silently on the balcony outside his room, holding a finally sleeping Kisho in his tired arms. His head ached fiercely and his eyes burned with restrained tears as he looked up at the bright moon and remembered.

_"If someone had told me that I would ever be here, taking the hand of this amazing man, I would have said they were crazy. He's too good for me in a million different ways, but for some strange reason, he chose me. I won't question it. I will never doubt it. I trust Byakuya Kuchiki with everything. I trust him with my life. Every day with him is a gift. Every moment is worth remembering. I want to be with him for the rest of my life. I want to share everything with him. So I promise to remain at his side…and to offer him peace, contentment, and love for all of the rest of our lives."_

_Byakuya wasn't shedding tears, but his eyes spoke volumes. He had to wait a moment before he could speak._

"_I used to think that love equaled loss. I was afraid to commit to love, because when you love someone, you have to take your chances and pray that you'll still have each other when all is said and done. Before I lost my wife, she told me that even in the darkest times, there is still hope. She told me that someday, loving arms would reach for me, and when they did that I should grab on with both hands and never let go. Renji Abarai's arms were the ones that reached for me. And because of who he is, I found myself wanting to believe in love again. Today, I'm reaching out and taking hold of his hands. They are hands that are filled with love and kindness. I promise now that I will never let go."_

"I know you trust me to come for you, Renji," Byakuya whispered, "but I cannot open that doorway. Only you can do that. If Senbonzakura is there and still survives, you must use him Renji. You must use him so that you can return to us. I will hold things together for as long as I can…and whatever it takes…"

He broke off, surrender to silent tears as Renji's words from the past returned to sting him.

_"We've only spent one day as life partners and already you scared the hell out of me and I almost tried to kill you. That aside, it was a good day. We got to the end of it and we're here in each other's arms. Tonight, you are the one who needs comfort, but who knows, tomorrow it could be me. You never know. The one thing I do know is that as long as we face these things together, we're going to come out of things okay._

_I had a hard life growing up. There was never enough…never enough warmth, enough food, enough love. I found ways to get by, to survive, but I lost something there on the streets of Inuzuri that I didn't find again for a very long time. When I became a soul reaper, I started to have enough of most things, but there was something important missing. I always felt this ache inside, this longing for something or someone. I didn't know what…not for the longest time._

_I know now what I was missing. I feel it when I follow you into battle and when I take you to bed. I feel it when we walk in a cloud of sakura. It's there when we sit under the stars and you tell me their stories. It's in the clash of our swords when we spar. Whatever happens and whatever each new day brings, my life isn't just enough. My life is full."_

"You made my life full too, Renji," he whispered, "and I will never be sorry for loving you. But I miss you like the moon would miss the wolf if it perished. Some might think that the wolf's howl is a lonely sound, but the silence is far lonelier. But I will bear it for you, and despite how things look I will not despair. I will…"

He dropped to his knees on the balcony, holding Kisho against him and crying soundlessly.

_"Renji, you asked me to let you comfort me. Let me do the same for you. I may have been driven mad with pain, but I never planned to leave you. I knew that wasn't possible. I only came here to remind myself why I chose this path."_

_"And you remember now?"_

_"I remember."_

_"And no one leaves until the battle is over, right?"_

_"No one leaves,"_

Byakuya caught his breath, remembering the words, and inexplicably, his crying stopped and new strength flooded his body. He looked down at Kisho, who had come awake and was looking up at him with a sweet, curious expression. He touched Byakuya's face with tiny fingertips.

"The battle isn't over," Byakuya whispered, "You and I are still alive. You may be lost, but there is still hope, and by kami, I am going to hold it together until the way opens. And I _will_ be there, Renji. When the door opens, I will be there. I promise!"

He climbed to his feet slowly, and stepped back into his room, gently handing Kisho over to his night attendant. He crawled into the bed, taking the pillow Renji had lain on and holding it tightly, his face buried in its softness and seeking Renji's scent. Sleep came quickly and while he slept, he remembered.

_"I love you, Renji."_

_Renji felt the impact of the words and warmth that was released in them. He looked back into the dark eyes that were quietly observing him._

_"Bya?" he said, touching Byakuya's face, "Don't say good-bye to me. Because whatever happens when we leave this place, it can't take away what's here."_

_"No," said Byakuya, placing his hands on Renji's face and pulling him in, "No, it can't."_

_"I love you, too," Renji whispered as Byakuya's lips took hold of his._

"Renji…" Byakuya whispered in his sleep.

Deep within the non-world dimension, Renji stirred and groaned. He was cold and in rending pain, but it wasn't either of those things that had awakened him.

_Renji…_

"Byakuya?" he whispered, lifting his head and looking around dizzily.

His eyes cleared and he found himself still lying on the floor where he had fallen.

"I know I heard your voice…" he muttered, "but it was just in my screwed up head. Huh, but it's just like you to give me a kick in the ass when I need one. I'm coming back to you, Byakuya. I don't care what I have to do, I am coming back!"

He grabbed on to the bed and, groaning and cursing, he pulled himself onto his feet again.

A world away, a smile rose onto Byakuya's lips as Renji's words sounded in his mind.

_I'm coming back to you, Byakuya. I don't care what I have to do, I am coming back!_

"Renji…" he whispered again, settling into a deeper, more restful sleep.


	11. No Time for Despair

**Chapter 11: No Time for Despair**

**(Whew! The mental logjam is over! I hate writer's block…Thanks for your patience. **** Enjoy the chapter!)**

Snakey looked around Kanaye's hidden laboratory in disgust, his angry eyes flaring in frustration. He wanted to tear the place apart, but he knew better than to leave any sign he had been there. Everything he moved within the room, he carefully replaced as it had been, when he was finished with it. Every cabinet and drawer he opened, he also closed, and whenever he heard the slightest sound, he took cover quickly.

_There is no one to save our asses if we get into a bad way here…_

He chuckled inwardly.

_Not like we're not in a bad spot already, what with Renji crippled, Senbonzakura dying and that creep Kanaye doing…whatever it is he's doing!_

He froze at the sound of footsteps, then took cover in one of the low cabinets that had a grate he could look out of. He started to relax as he spotted Senbonzakura enter the room, followed by Chimpette. But as quickly as he started to move, upon seeing that Kanaye was with them, he stopped short and crouched, watching carefully.

_What is wrong with them? _he mused, staring at the odd, dazed look in their eyes.

They didn't speak, but followed Kanaye silently into the room, watching as the secret door closed behind them.

"My apologies for the way I overtook your minds," Kanaye said, touching Senbonzakura on the chest, "But you were growing too suspicious and you were taking too long. This may not be as effective with you being unwilling, but it is the only way to give me the power to break out of here, once and for all!"

The samurai's legs gave way and Kanaye caught him and laid him on an examination table, then carefully employed the restraints. Snakey caught his breath softly as the strange being repeated the actions with Chimpette. He moved to a locked cabinet, then opened it and removed something. Snakey's eyes went wide as he realized what the item was.

A…zanpakutou?

He swallowed hard, feeling the fury of the spirit within the weapon.

"Yes," Kanaye said softly, "I have found a way around _you_. If you will not do as I tell you, then I will simply detach from you and use these two instead!"

"N-no!" exclaimed Chimpette, suddenly seeming to break free for a moment, "You can't force us to help you! We won't give you our powers!"

"In a moment, you won't have a choice," said Kanaye solemnly, "I will grant that you have a strong will to still be resisting, but soon, you will see that there is only one path out of here. Your master is weak, and he cannot combine your powers to use your divine attack. I told you I would only detach you from him to break through the wall, and in return for your help, I would keep only Senbonzakura after. He has no master, with his own master having died when the soul bond shattered. I will free you to return to Renji, once we are out of here."

"Y-you…you…" panted Senbonzakura deliriously, "I…feel the betrayal in your…words!"

Kanaye gave him a chilling smile.

"Rest easy, Samurai," he said, smirking, "You are about to learn what it is to be truly mastered."

"No!" cried Chimpette and Senbonzakura together as Kanaye touched several buttons on the console in front of him.

Snakey cringed as an odd, purplish light flashed around the two and they started to thrash about in their bonds. He stared in dismay as Kanaye lifted the zanpakutou he had seen before and inserted it into a slot in the machine that was hooked up to the two manifested spirits. A shrill scream sounded in Snakey's stunned mind, and he realized a moment later that it had come from the other zanpakutou. Kanaye smiled and watched for several minutes, then turned off the machine and withdrew the zanpakutou from the slot. He gave it a dismissive glare and smiled as the blade cracked and shattered. He dropped the broken blade onto the floor.

"You see," he said in a low voice, "I don't need _you_ anymore. I only need the power these two wield, and the shinigami body of Renji Abarai's unborn baby. With that power, and being a blood relative of the king…I will have the power I need to challenge, and _kill_ him!"

Snakey turned away, shivering inside as the words replayed themselves in his head. He curled up in a corner of the cabinet, tears in his eyes as he tried to think of something to do. Some time later, he heard Kanaye say something garbled, and he peeked out. Senbonzakura and Chimpette were standing with him, smiling and looking as though nothing had happened.

"You will not speak to Renji Abarai of what has happened," Kanaye said to them, "Act as though you still respond to him. I need him to stay calm for a bit longer. Tomorrow, I will age the child inside him, and then I will be done with him. Go now…and do what I told you to…"

Snakey listened until he was sure they had left, then slipped out of the cabinet. He stole forward into the open and looked towards the door, trying to decide what to do next.

"I have to get Renji out of here…" he said softly.

"Then…you are going to need my help," said a soft, feminine voice.

XXXXXXXXXX

"My Hajime," whispered the king, lifting himself and admiring the noble's bare and moonlit body, "My heart aches at how much you have endured...and what you have yet to face. But…my love, you have been hundreds of years in the making, a masterpiece crafted slowly over time and meant for this one fate. I cannot tell your waking ears, but I will whisper the truth into your heart. And that truth is…that I was advised by my father against making you."

The king paused and kissed his lover's soft lips.

"He had a lover as well…a strong, devoted lover like you, who he crafted over hundreds of years and brought to the place you are now. His lover passed the tests and became his samurai. But as strong as they were together, they met a stronger force…and as he lay dying, my father warned me of the dangers of taking a lover as my samurai. Being young, I listened to him. I resisted the urge to make you with these hands. I married a woman and made a family with her, all to obey my father's wishes. It wasn't until the ancient sakura intervened that I crafted you."

He sighed softly and closed his eyes.

"She said that my life was already intertwined with yours. Your making amounted to fate, and you would save my life more than once. I know you blamed yourself for the crumbling of my marriage, but it was not your doing. I did not listen to my heart…or rather, I could not listen over the pain of losing my father. And for him to have been brought down in the end, by the hand of his own samurai, I feared making myself vulnerable to you. That is why I delayed in making you. But the truth is, waiting as I did…denying you, marrying another…it put us on the path to your self-sacrifice. My wife's jealousy and her actions to protect Kazuhiko's claim to the throne happened because I clung to my father's words instead of listening to my heart. I married her instead of making you. So this time, I will do as my heart dictates, and honor you with the place that was always yours. We will be married, yes, but that is not the place of which I speak. I speak of that place where the power over the three worlds is housed and the root of creation is remembered. You will be made guardian of that place…and the one that controls it. It is a position that requires perfect faith and trust between us. And where what happened to my father colored my thinking before, your sacrifice and your return have taken the blinders from my eyes. I could trust no other this way, but I will trust you. I will trust you with everything, the very existence of the three worlds, Hajime. We have waited forever, it seems…for each of us to grow and change. But now we are ready. Let us take the next step."

He gathered the sleeping noble into his arms and carried him out onto the balcony. He flash stepped down and entered the King's Gardens, then enclosed them in a protective cage. He carried Hajime to the healing pool and stepped in under the waterfall. The splash of water on his bare skin woke Hajime, an the noble started to smile up at his lover. But a moment later, it registered what was happening, and his eyes went wide and uncertain.

"Look at me," the king directed him gently, "Look into my eyes and trust me completely."

"I trust you," Hajime whispered back.

The king set him on his feet and they faced each other under the soft fall of water. Still looking into his lover's eyes, the king invoked his power and caused their spirit forms to fall away, revealing their core power. Hajime gasped, and then screamed as the flames of the king's power wrapped around his whole being and made him feel as though he was melting into nothing. He lost all sense of where he was and what was happening as the king's power encircled him and slowly rebuilt him. Fear welled up inside him…fear of being engulfed, of disappearing into the king's swell of power and never emerging. And some part of him realized the extreme danger of what the king was doing, but even as the fear tore at him and threatened to undo his sanity, the king's words came back to him and steadied him.

"Look at me. Look into my eyes and trust me completely."

"I trust you."

_Despite the danger and the horrid pain, I feel the love in his hands. He isn't doing this to destroy me, although we could certainly be destroyed. My lord is strengthening me, so that I might serve his needs more perfectly. I will trust him with everything in me. Nothing will shake my resolve!_

He relaxed into the seething heat and blinding power of his lover's hands, his mind going calm again as the king crafted him. Slowly, the air cooled around them and Hajime felt the return of his spirit form. It wrapped around his core power and closed it away as the king's form shut away his power as well. They stood facing each other as the water bubbled furiously around their feet. Hajime looked down onto the surface of the water.

"I look the same," he breathed, "but…"

"But," said the king, "Your spirit form is the focus for greater power now. You will need time to adjust, so you will use that time to assist Byakuya in the Seireitei. But you will sense when the time has come for you to be tested by my zanpakutou, and we will meet here at that time."

Hajime nodded in understanding, then tried to take a step and collapsed into the king's arms.

"My apologies, my lord," he sighed, breathing in the king's warm, earthy scent, "I…"

"You have nothing to apologize for, Hajime," the king said, kissing him, "That you can stand at all right now is a testament to your strength. Rest now. When you wake again, it will be time for us to say our goodbyes for a time."

"But…my lord, I don't want to sleep. I…don't want to…miss…our last moments together, before…"

He trailed off, his eyes closing and his head dropping lightly onto the king's shoulder as the monarch smiled and lifted him. He carried the noble back through the gardens, and into their bedroom, where he set Hajime back in bed and wrapped his body warmly around the noble's, resting his head on a pale, bared breast and listening to the soft, proud beating of his lover's heart.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya stood quietly with Chiasa in his arms, under the branches of the ancient sakura, the tree from which his first ancestor had been made, waiting as Takeo moved to join him, carrying a sleeping Kisho and followed by Takeshi and Chisaki, each of them holding the hand of one of the little red-haired twin girls and trailed by a pale and forlorn looking young Hajime. They surrounded Byakuya and waited as the king appeared with Akemi on one side, and a weary looking elder Hajime on the other. They stopped as they reached the tree, and the king embraced the elder Hajime briefly.

"I will miss you," he breathed in the noble's ear, "I look forward to when you can return to me."

"I will not say goodbye," answered Hajime, somehow managing a smile, "I will only say that I love you, and I will miss you as well, my lord."

The two exchanged a kiss of parting, then Hajime embraced Akemi and then moved to join Byakuya and the children. They watched as the power of the ancient tree opened a doorway, and stepped through to find themselves at the top of the cliff near the waterfall at Kuchiki Manor. Byakuya winced inwardly as a memory suddenly returned.

_"Too bad that doorway's only one way. It would save us a hell of a lot of walking if we could just use that. You're about to pop, I think. Are you sure you're up to this?" Renji asked._

_"Bite your insolent tongue, Abarai," he snapped, "I am fine."_

"In any case, he won't be walking," said elder Hajime, approaching on the back of his white stallion and leading another white horse along, "This is Willow, my Moonfire's mate. She will carry Byakuya to the spirit dimension."

"Are you all right, Dad?" Takeo asked softly, and Byakuya realized that all of the children were looking at him.

"I am fine," he assured them, "Come."

They were uncharacteristically silent as they passed through the forest, listening as the wind whistled softly through the trees and the cicadas and birds sounded around them. They came out of the forest and entered the gardens, just as darkness fell and the lights in the gardens came on. Byakuya made a soft, wounded sound and froze as he took in the surreal environment. His mind shot into the past, his heart breaking all over again as he remembered.

_"Come, Renji, let's go home.."_

They flash stepped away and closed the distance quickly. In no time, they were through the gate and entering the new main building. They walked through to the gardens and Byakuya caught his breath in surprise.

_"Renji…" he breathed, enchanted at the sight._

_The garden was a sea of light and color. Flowers were everywhere and cherry blossoms danced all around. The small decorative lights twinkled and danced among the blossoms. He found the sight too beautiful for words._

_"I hope you don't mind," Renji said, taking my hand, but Yoruichi and I thought it should look special for us."_

_He answered the redhead with a long sensuous kiss._

_"It's perfect, Renji," he said, watching his lover's eyes light up when he saw how happy the surprise had made him, "It's beautiful…"_

_"Not even close to as beautiful as you," Renji said, touching his hand, "Happy first anniversary, Byakuya."_

_He followed Renji down the hall to their bedroom. As they entered, he found himself surrounded by lights and flowers everywhere and a sea of sakura on the bed._

_"For later," Renji said, kissing him and leading him into the dressing area._

"Dad!" called several worried voices, breaking into his reverie.

Byakuya took a steadying breath and realized that he stood leaned against the elder Hajime, his face turned away from the gardens.

"It's all right," elder Hajime assured them, "He was just taken by surprise by the decorations."

"They should have taken them down," muttered Takeo, frowning.

"You must understand," said Hajime, "The situation is precarious. What the head captain knows, he will have entrusted to captains and vice captains alone. And they will have been sworn to secrecy. No one has yet informed the staff."

"But…Rikichi…"

"Rikichi was badly injured in the valley," Byakuya said, recovering himself somewhat, "He and Hotaru have been at the fourth division and Rukia went directly to the valley when I told her what had happened. I haven't yet informed the elders. I wanted to get us all back home first. So do not blame the staff. They do not know."

"I will go and speak to them," said elder Hajime, "Takeo, Takeshi and Chisaki, will you please put the children to bed?"

He watched as the children walked slowly across the gardens, then were met on the walkway by their attendants, who hustled them away to their bedrooms. An attendant gently took Chiasa from Byakuya and carried her to the nursery.

"That must have been very difficult for you," acknowledged Hajime, "Perhaps you should go and check in with your division while I have this dismantled."

"No," said Byakuya, shaking his head gently, "It is difficult…but…I do not want the decorations removed."

He stepped forward and sat down at the patio table as a servant appeared and laid out tea for the two.

"We have everything ready for when Master Abarai arrives," the servant assured him.

Byakuya took a calming breath.

"Renji is not coming home tonight," he said, his voice trembling slightly, "He is…missing. He disappeared on a mission."

"Oh!" said the servant, her eyes widening in shock, "Lord Byakuya, I'm so sorry! We will…we will remove all of this at once!"

"No," the noble said, shaking his head firmly, "because even though he is missing, it is still our anniversary…and we will honor it."

"Y-yes, Lord Byakuya," the woman said, tears filling her eyes, "I will inform the others."

"Are you certain that this is what you want?" elder Hajime asked softly.

"I need this," Byakuya replied quietly, "I need this to help me keep breathing."

He looked around to make sure that they were alone.

"Hajime, the truth is…I…learned something when I was examined here in the Seireitei."

He paused, noticing the look of knowing in his ancestor's eyes.

"You know?" Byakuya whispered, "You know I am dying?"

"His majesty knew," Hajime explained, "and he told me. That's why I am here, in part. But Byakuya, that doesn't mean that this is over. His majesty also told me that the doorway will open again, and that I will engage the demon."

"But we do not know when that will be, so it was necessary for you to be here for the children in case I…cannot be."

"Do not speak that way," Hajime said, shaking his head, "You are talking to a man who died and returned. You will not convince _me_ that all is lost. You must not lose hope, Byakuya. If you give in to despair, you will drag your children down into it with you. I am sorry. I feel responsible for what happened, and I will do what I can to help you…but you cannot give up. You have to fight harder than you ever have before."

Byakuya took a shuddering breath and nodded.

"I will," he swore softly, "I swear I will fight to my last breath and beyond. And when that door opens, nothing will keep me from him!"


	12. Transcendent Love

**Chapter 12: Transcendent Love**

Byakuya stepped into the bedroom, closing the garden doors behind him, then moving to the interior and closing it as well. He stood for a moment, facing the door, and with the sakura petal covered bed behind him, closing his eyes and steeling himself. But even before he turned, a memory flashed across his aching mind.

_"Happy Anniversary, Byakuya," Renji whispered._

_"Happy Anniversary, Renji," he whispered back as the redhead's mouth descended on his._

_They stood under the stars and full moon, beside the blue lit waterfall, with cherry blossoms all around, devouring each other's lips, pressing their bodies close together, and feeling the intense warmth of a lovely spring night._

_Finally, they pulled away, knowing that if they continued, they wouldn't make it back to the manor before they started making love. As it was, they were barely inside the room before their hands tore away each other's clothes and the two fell into the sakura-filled bed. Blossoms flew everywhere as they landed and Renji's face disappeared into them, only to reappear a moment later as his body captured Byakuya's and forced it down into the petal softness of the bed. His mouth invaded the noble's, his stroking tongue ravishing everything it touched, first inside Byakuya's hungry mouth, then down the side of his face, and then all over his throat._

_"Ah…kami! Renji!"_

_Renji didn't answer, but a feral moan sounded as he slid down the length of his lover's pale body, heating everything with seething kisses and searching fingertips until the noble's hips rose up against him, trembling with need._

_"Renji!"_

_It came out in a hissing breath because that was all Byakuya could manage, but it brought the redhead's mouth back to his and Renji forced his lover's body back down beneath him, locking his own around it._

_"You're beautiful like this," he said, pulling away to look down at the noble, "Kami, Byakuya, I look at you like this and I can't hold back."_

_Byakuya grabbed him and reclaimed his lips, his hips thrusting hard upward into Renji's, begging for deeper contact. A warm hand reached down to part his thighs, then Renji sank down, finally entering the noble as both moaned incoherently, Byakuya writhing so fitfully that Renji had to take hold of his lover's hip to steady them. He tried to begin slowly, but was drawn into moving faster as Byakuya cried out his name and moved against him feverishly and out of control. The noble's hips rose up sharply to meet his and Byakuya's cries intensified as Renji's length found that beautiful place deep inside him, and struck it repeatedly, until pleasure exploded through Byakuya's shaking body and the noble found himself too breathless to move anymore. He fell back beneath Renji, feeling his weight settle as the redhead moaned his name in a harsh gasp and released deep inside him. They laid still afterwards, staring into each other's sated eyes until both had recovered enough to continue. It was late into the night when Renji's head dropped onto Byakuya's shoulder and his glazed eyes met the noble, as they finally surrendered to sleep. _

"Renji…" he whispered, turning and looking at the perfectly prepared bed, the kimonos laid out in the dressing area and the chilled champagne and crystal glasses.

He hated letting the harsh emotion grip him, hold him tightly and force out a choked sob of despair. He didn't _know_ that Renji was gone. He just couldn't feel him _there_, inside his heart and deep within his soul, where Renji had been ever since their soul bonding. He forced down another sob and poured a glass of champagne, trying his best to control the shattering pain that raged inside him. He drank it quickly, letting out a sigh of relief as his senses dulled slightly. Unable to cope with being in their room anymore, he opened the garden doors and walked through the silent, dark gardens, his mind still seeing the rows of decorative lights and the decorations, even though the gardens had been darkened for the night. He reached the patio and another memory fired itself across his mind.

_The garden was dressed in an ocean of flowers and lights, as it was every year when that day came. Dinner was laid out in the gardens, and he know without looking that flower petals lined the path to the waterfall and coated the walkway to their bedroom. _

_He stopped on the walkway, staring, tears rising in his eyes._

_"Renji…"_

_He couldn't think of anything to say to the redhead. Before everything had started to happen, before the poisoning, before his being taken from his home, he had been looking forward to that very moment. But looking on it then brought home the weight of what had happened. How many nights, he wondered had Renji faced alone there, waiting for him? How often must the redhead have wondered whether or not we would see the house and garden dressed in light and color, marking the passage of another year of their life partnership? And it had come, but removed from his life as he had been, he didn't even know what day it was, much less that today was this, of all days. The pain of it was unbearable…that such happiness could be stolen away from them. And then came the 'what ifs.' What if that day had passed while he was not there? What if the poison had killed him, and Renji had been forced to face that day alone?_

_He turned back into the entry. As he moved, Renji flash stepped and stopped in front of him, resting his hands on the noble's shoulders. He could not look up at Renji. And he couldn't think of anything to say that would begin to explain what he felt._

_"Hey," Renji said bracingly, "What is it? Why did you do that?"_

_Byakuya couldn't answer. And even when a warm hand slipped beneath his chin and his face tilted upward, he couldn't meet Renji's eyes._

_"Byakuya…what's wrong? Did I do something that upset you? Did I say something? What is it?"_

_He buried his face in the redhead's throat and felt Renji's strong arms close around him._

_"Will you please say something?" Renji whispered, "I thought this would make you happy. If it doesn't, we can go somewhere else. I'll have everything removed…just tell me what you need me to do."_

_"I need you to…forgive me," Byakuya whispered, "I had little awareness while I was away…Renji…I lost track of the days…"_

_"Is that what this is about? Byakuya, I know what kind of shape you were in. It's understandable that you lost track of things. Give yourself a break! I don't know why you do this to yourself. You hold yourself to impossible standards. You know that if the situation was reversed, you would have done this for me…you know it! You would never hold it against me if, after something like this, I lost focus or awareness. Don't do this. Don't punish yourself for what Raiden did to you! I have more claim to the fault in that than you do."_

_"No," Byakuya said quietly, "He may have sought revenge, but he would have taken action against me anyway. He told me that I was chosen mainly for my strength. Because if I could be killed by the poison, then no other could withstand it. Revenge was a secondary issue, Renji."_

_"None of that matters," Renji insisted, "I don't care about who is to blame or what went wrong because of it. Just…let it go, Byakuya. Let yourself be happy again. Otherwise, you'll be letting that bastard steal this from us. I know you don't want that."_

_"No."_

_"Then you listen to me. Don't think about anything but this…We're here together, and it is our anniversary. It's our celebration of who we are…and no one can take this away from us. And Byakuya, all we need to make this day perfect is feeling that connection we have. It's still there…and it is definitely worth celebrating."_

"But I can't feel it anymore," Byakuya whispered, closing his eyes against the tears and pressing a hand to his heart, "Renji, I can't feel you there anymore! And I need to feel you inside my heart, Renji. I need to know that even though I can't reach out and touch you right now…that you…still exist…somewhere! Please, Renji, if you ever loved me, please find a way to tell me you're still there!"

He collapsed onto the hard pavement, pain erupting through his knees as they struck the ground. He managed to keep his hard, aching sobs silent as he surrendered to his grief. His hands clenched and he could manage only short gasping breaths as he struggled to regain control.

"Renji!" he cried soundlessly.

And as though in answer, warm arms wrapped around him and a strong, warm body embraced his tightly. He turned in surprise, sobbing Renji's name, but found himself looking into Takeo's wide, sad brown eyes.

"T-takeo," he managed, trying to pull away, "I am…I'm…"

"Oh gods, Dad, don't apologize!" Takeo said, pulling him close and holding him tightly, "How many times have you and Renji held _me_ when I was miserable over something and I needed you. I _want _to be someone you can turn to. Haven't you always been that for me? And don't forget, I tried to kill you when we first met. I think that…of all of us kids, I have the most to make up for. So let me take care of you. Let me help you. That's all I want, is to help you, Dad. Just let me do that."

"I'll be all right," Byakuya said, letting his head rest on a shoulder that had grown as large and strong as Renji's, "I was just overwhelmed because of it being our anniversary."

"No," Takeo said softly, "It's more than that. Dad, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to intrude…but I heard what you said to elder Hajime."

Byakuya's eyes widened in distress.

"You…?"

"I know you are…you…are…"

He broke off, tears filling his eyes, but then forced himself to calm.

"I am dying, Takeo," Byakuya said, calm washing over him as the feeling of being alone fell away.

"You're not going to die."

"The soul bond was severed and I was separated from Renji and Senbonzakura. I am dying, Takeo. And it may be months…or a few years. I don't know. But what I do know is that now that you know, I can hand you legacy that you have earned. You are about to become a captain. Elder Hajime is going to see to the rest of your training, as I have reduced powers and I am without my zanpakutou. And upon my death, you will inherit Kuchiki Manor and guardianship of your siblings. I am entrusting Renji's and my most treasured possession, our family, to you, Takeo."

"I told you, you're not going to die!"

"Takeo, you will have all of the support you need from the household staff."

He placed his hands on Takeo's face and looked deeply into his son's shocked eyes.

"I know it's not enough…that it will be difficult for you to watch Takeshi and Chisaki take their places at the heads of the Shihoin and Kuchiki clans. But even while they do, don't think of yourself as any less my son. I have loved you like my own son since I knew you were Renji's child. And tonight, you proved how like him you are. I was ready to despair. My own strength had given way, but just as Renji would have done, you appeared when I needed you most. You held me as he would have. You made me feel hope. And I am grateful for that."

Takeo's hands rose to where Byakuya's rested on either side of his face and curled around them.

"I'm more grateful to you, Dad," Takeo said, squeezing his hands, "You have already given me the best gift a person can…love…a home…a family. So…even though it's not going to happen…even though you're not going to die? I promise that if you someday do…I will take care of the family that you gave me. I promise."

Byakuya gave a relieved sigh and leaned into Takeo's embrace, resting his head again on the young man's shoulder. They went quiet for several long minutes as each pondered their situation and worked to come to terms with it inside.

"Takeo," Byakuya said finally, "I must ask that for now, you do not tell your brothers and sisters that my condition is terminal."

"Dad, you're…"

"Just listen," Byakuya went on, "But even though I don't want them to know yet, neither do I want for you to feel alone with what you know. So I will ask you to confide in the same person who is going to be completing your training with you. Hajime and the king are aware of what is happening. Please, if you feel overwhelmed, if you need someone to talk to, and you don't feel comfortable coming to me, please talk to elder Hajime. He is quite understanding."

"Y-you're worried about _me_?" Takeo said incredulously, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll talk to Hajime if I need to. You just focus on taking care of yourself…eating enough, getting enough rest. We have to keep you well…until that gate opens again and it's time to go and bring Renji home."

Byakuya couldn't find the words to answer, but nodded against Takeo's shoulder and rested more calmly, his eyes rising to look up at the night sky, then wandering slowly around the gardens. He blinked as the moonlight shone against something in the grass, near the patio. Pulling free of Takeo, Byakuya moved forward on his hands and knees, squinting at the small object that laid in the grass. His eyes widened with wonder.

"By kami…!" he whispered, "Renji…"

His fingers found the silver fang pendant that had, until recently, hung around Renji's neck.

Renji rushed in from the gardens, hardly seeming to notice that Byakuya was still in their bed.

"_Where is it?" he muttered, "I know it was…!"_

"_Is something wrong?" he asked the redhead, rubbing his distended belly, "You are certainly making a fuss, Renji."_

_The redhead's red-brown eyes met his worriedly._

"_The chain broke on my pendant," he said, showing the noble the chain, "The silver fang you gave me for our first wedding anniversary is gone!"_

"_Well," said the noble, "it was with you when you showered this morning. I remember from when I came in to join you. So what have you done since then?"_

"_I don't know!" Renji said in an exasperated tone, "I had breakfast…walked the girls to the lake…played with paper boats in the koi pond with Hajime…little Hajime, that is. I played 'horsie' with the girls all over the lawn…trained with Takeo in the meadow."_

_Byakuya smiled._

"_Renji, it's not even noon and you've done all of that?" he mused._

_"Aww, how can you smile at a time like this! I lost the present you gave me from our first anniversary!"_

"_And I'll come and help you find it," Byakuya assured him, "But first, let me show you that no matter what material things come and go, they are not the things that matter."_

_Renji sat down on the bed, the smile returning to his lips as Byakuya pulled him close and kissed him._

"_Things can be replaced," he said softly, "You cannot. I love you. And I will either help you find what you have lost, or I will personally have a new one made. But please don't agonize over this. I know it's special to you…but this," he said, laying Renji's hand on his swollen abdomen, "means more. The love between us means more than anything…Renji."_

_The redhead sighed softly and the urgency left his eyes. He met the noble for a flurry of kisses and let himself be brought down onto his back on their bed. And by the time Byakuya's hands and mouth had expressed the depths of the noble's affection for the redhead, Renji was naked, sated and sleeping comfortably in his arms, the silver fang forgotten for the moment._

That's Renji's, isn't it?" asked Takeo, looking closely at the silver fang pendant Byakuya had retrieved from the grass.

"Yes," Byakuya said, a grateful smile coming to his lips, "I gave it to him for our first anniversary."

_They returned to the garden and dinner was waiting. He lost track of what it was, because he couldn't stop thinking about what would come after. Renji's eyes told Byakuya that the redhead couldn't stop thinking about it either. They worked their way through dinner and then dessert arrived. As they finished, Renji removed a small box from the folds of his kimono and set it in front of the noble. Byakuya smiled and handed him a small box as well._

_"You go first," Byakuya said, nodding._

_Renji opened the box and removed the gift inside. On a silver chain hung a long silver coated fang. The redhead stared in awe for a moment and then looked at his lover questioningly._

_"Byakuya…is this…?"_

_"Yes," the noble told him quietly, "A fang of the ookami seirei…one of Yuudai Kuchiki's, to be exact. I had it encased in silver. They are said to bring good fortune."_

_"Byakuya…when did you manage to go back and…"_

_"I have my ways…Renji."_

_He stood and moved behind Renji, fastening the silver chain about his throat. The redhead pulled him in for a very sweet kiss._

_"I love it, Byakuya. Now, open yours."_

_Byakuya opened the small box and blinked in surprise, tears forming in his eyes. Realizing what he'd done, the noble caught his breath. He couldn't look up at Renji's face._

_"From Hisana's tree?" he asked softly._

_Renji nodded, smiling. He fastened the light gold chain around Byakuya's throat and stood back to look._

"Perfect," he breathed.

"And he gave you that gold coated sakura pendant, right?" Takeo asked.

"Yes," Byakuya answered softly, "Not that I didn't manage to lose it on several occasions. But…each time, Renji found it. And he placed it on the chain next to his…and when we found each other again, he put it back on the chain around my neck. So now…I will do the same for him."

_It is a small sign, but it is a true one._

_You will come home, Renji._

_I know you will._

_And when you do, I will return this to you…_

Byakuya placed the silver fang pendant on his gold chain, next to the sakura pendant, then climbed to his feet, pulling Takeo up with him. He embraced the tall young man briefly and wished him good night as he had nearly every night since Takeo had come to live at Kuchiki Manor. And without further quandary, he returned to his room and fell into the petal-laden bed, falling asleep almost immediately and sleeping soundly until morning.


	13. Genzen Ojou

**Chapter 13: Genzon Oujou (Living Death)**

"Who are you?" asked Snakey, wide-eyed, "I mean, I know you're a zanpakutou...his zanpakutou! But...why did he abandon you like that?"

"He desires power that I could no longer give him...divine power that he can only fully employ using you and Senbonzakura. But...he has made a miscalculation."

"Huh?" asked the snake boy, frowning.

"You are a two-person spirit. He only enchanted the baboon. He was careless. You must take this opportunity and you must help Renji Abarai to escape."

"Uh...a _little_ problem there," complained Snakey, "First of all, Renji is really hurt. He can't even walk. Secondly, even if he could walk, we can't leave without Senbonzakura and Chimpette. Renji wouldn't ever abandon them. And third..."

"Do you want to help your master?" asked the voice.

"Hell yes!" said Snakey, "This place gives me the creeps, and that guy is just plain scary!"

"Then, pick me up and take me with you. I can help you."

The snake boy looked down at the sword hilt on the chamber floor. He crouched and studied it closely, considering.

"If you delay too long, then he will come back and you may well be caught. We need to make our escape before he comes back."

"Whoa, what's this 'we' stuff?" objected the boy, "I don't know you at all and I can't trust someone..."

"Would you rather that Kanaye complete his plan, steal Renji's baby and use the others to try to escape."

"I thought he couldn't escape without catching me."

"He can't," said the lady spirit's voice, "However, the longer you stand here talking, the less the chances that we will escape him before he can capture you and take control of you too. He will learn soon that he needs both of you. Come now, pick me up."

"Okay," said the snake boy, "but don't get any ideas about hurting Renji or anything. Or I'll..."

"I understand. Let us go now, boy."

"But, um...I can't carry anything out of this room," Snakey complained.

"That condition does not apply to me," the spirit told him, "I am his zanpakutou, and he needed me to be able to pass in and out of the room, so did not restrict me."

"Oh," said Snakey, picking up the sword hilt and eyeing it closely.

He frowned unhappily.

"How are we supposed to get Renji out of here with a broken sword and just me?" he asked, "He can't walk and I sure as hell can't carry the big slug!"

"Let me worry about that. Just take me to him."

Scowling and muttering unhappily, Snakey slipped out of the laboratory and made his way through the empty halls and to Renji's room. He found the redhead sitting up in the bed, looking ahead somewhat blankly.

"Hey, Renji," he called, flash stepping to the bed and hopping up next to the redhead.

Renji gave him a momentary glance, then looked away.

"Hey...did you find anything?"

"Maybe," said Snakey, "but, um, what's eating you?"

Renji shook his head and sighed.

"I don't know," said Renji, sarcastically, "Maybe being locked away in some stupid other dimension and unable to walk while Byakuya might be dead or dying and that freak out there is trying to break out of here to destroy the three worlds. Wouldn't that shit put you in a bad mood too?"

"Yeah, probably," said the snake boy, "But I got us some help."

"Sure," Renji huffed, "What did you do? Just ask the bastard to let us go and he said he would? You're so...stu..."

"Hey! Knock it off, baka! I was being serious! I went into that place and I got us some help to get out of here. So, shut you're stupid mouth and..."

"Whoa, wait!" Renji said, crossing his arms and gazing at Snakey skeptically, "I thought you said that you couldn't take stuff outta the room."

"Well, yeah, most stuff," qualified the snake boy, "But this is kinda different."

He held out the sword hilt. Renji stared.

"What the hell is that?" he asked, shaking his head, "And just how is it gonna help us?"

"It's his zanpakutou, dummy!" said Snakey.

"WHAT?" Renji squawked, wide-eyed, "You took his fucking zanpakutou? Are you crazy? Take it back! Take it back now!"

"Geez! Calm down, Renji," complained the snake boy, "You're gonna bust something. It's all right. She said that she's going to help us."

"Oh _yeah_, said Renji, rolling his eyes, "_Sure_, she's gonna help us. That makes perfect sense...our mortal enemy's broken sword is gonna help us. Why the hell didn't I think of that before. Maybe because IT'S THE STUPIDEST FUCKING THING I'VE EVER HEARD? No, wait...ah, hell...yeah, it's the stupidest fucking thing I ever heard..."

"Will you shut up and listen, you moron?" yelled Snakey, "That guy abandoned her. He took control of Senbonzakura and Chimpette. He wants to make them use their divine attack to break out of here."

"What?"

"It's true. But she says that she can help you and me escape."

"And you believe she will, just like that..." mused Renji, "I ask again. ARE YOU NUTS?"

"He broke her himself! He abandoned her!" yelled Snakey.

"Hey, you wanna keep it down? You're going to bring that guy in here with all of that racket you're making. Just, calm down and tell me. How is she going to get us out of here?"

"Leave that to me," said a soft, feminine voice in Renji's mind.

Renji and Snakey stared as the sword hilt in the snake boy's hand trembled and a long, thin, needle-like shard poked out of the broken hilt.

"Um," said Snakey, sounding nervous, "What the heck is that for?"

"Take me and thrust that shard into your master's core spirit center," said the lady spirit.

"What?" howled Snakey.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" objected Renji, "He's not jabbing me with that!"

"It is the only way that I can bond with you to assist you directly," said the spirit, "I can help you get onto your feet so that we can escape, and as I recover, I can allow you to use my powers to help conceal and protect you."

"Huh..." muttered Renji, "And how do I know this is not just some way of setting me up to do what your dear master wants?"

"I imagine you don't," said the lady spirit calmly, "But it seems to me that if you want to survive, you must trust me. The alternative is allowing Kanaye to play out his plans. He does not know, as of yet, that he needs both spirits to manage the full power to attack the barrier. As soon as he does know, then he will come to take this boy as well. Then, we will be out of options."

"Hmmm," said Renji, "Not good."

He gazed at the wickedly sharp protrusion in the hilt and swallowed hard.

"Damn..." he said, steeling himself, "I'm probably going to regret this, but if it can help me stop that guy, then...well..."

"You sure you want me to do this?" asked Snakey, "It's gonna hurt like hell!"

"And that bothers you?" asked Renji, crossing his arms, "I thought you _liked_ being a pain in the ass and irritating me."

"Irritating you, yeah," said the boy, "But this is scary! I hate needles!"

"Yeah, I wonder where you get that from," chuckled the redhead, "All right, let's get this over with, before I change my mind. Go ahead. Stab me."

"Be cautious," said the lady spirit, "Hit the spirit center dead on or you will likely injure him badly of kill him."

"Wh...what?" stammered Snakey, paling, "Renji is an idiot and all, but I don't really want to kill him!"

"You must take this risk so that I can help you," insisted the spirit.

"Oh..." moaned the snake boy, "I don't feel so good!"

"_You_ don't feel so good," objected Renji, "I'm the one getting stabbed with that thing! Would you just fucking do it already? I'm getting the heebie jeebies waiting like this!"

"Just a second," said Snakey, turning slightly green, Just...uh...augh, I don't feel so good."

"Hey," said Renji, "It's gonna be okay. I trust you. You're my zanpakutou."

"O...kay," said Snakey, taking a steadying breath and leaning over the redhead.

"Oh...oh shit," muttered Renji, "Now, I'm not so sure about this...but it will get me on my feet and help me to escape this nut job, so...guess I have to..."

He swallowed hard.

"Okay, here goes," he said, closing his eyes, "Just do it fast, so if you fuck up, I won't have time to feel it too bad before I die."

"Will you knock it off?" shouted the boy, "You're freaking me out!"

"S-sorry," said the redhead, peeking at the boy, "Snakey...it's gonna be okay. Just...don't miss."

"Oh, yeah, right...don't miss, he says," mumbled the snake boy, unhappily, moving into position and raising the sword hilt.

The snake boy's hands shook and he quivered as he prepared to move.

"Oh...oh...shit, I don't like this," he moaned, "A-aaaaaaaah!"

Renji inhaled sharply as the sword came down and the point penetrated his core spirit center. He felt an odd swell of stabilizing power well up inside of his body, and the next thing he knew, he was on his feet.

"Whoa! What the...!"

"It is me," said the zanpakutou spirit, "I have taken control of your limbs and am forcing your body to carry you out of here, as well as blocking the pain. I will do more once we have escaped. Come!"

Renji marveled inwardly as he ran to the door and burst through, reaching out with his senses and then heading away from the area where Kanaye was with Senbonzakura and Chimpette. He started to run, but stopped short a moment later, making Snakey slam into him and knock him down.

"Damn it! Be more careful!" he chided the snake boy.

"But why did you stop?" asked the lady zanpakutou.

"Well," said Renji, "I was worried, you know? I remembered that if the divine attack is used, and what it attacks is too strong, Zabimaru, Senbonzakura and I will all die."

There was a momentary silence.

"He won't be able to summon enough power," said the spirit, "He will pursue us."

Renji broke back into a run.

"But," the lady spirit said resolutely, "I will not let him catch us. I know his ways and his powers, all he will try to utilize. We will escape him."

"And then what?" asked Renji.

"I don't know," the spirit admitted softly.

"Great," said Renji, "That was just the answer that I was looking for."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Daddy Bya?" young Hajime said softly, climbing up on the bed and nudging his way under his father's limp arm, "I had a bad dream. Can I sleep here?"

He was surprised, both at the fact that his father, whom he knew should have awakened readily, did not move, and that when he reached out with his senses, he could barely feel his father's reiatsu. Hajime scrambled off the bed and ran out of the room, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Takeo! Takeo, come quickly! There's something wrong with Daddy Bya! Takeo?"

His brother appeared suddenly, dressed in a sleeping yukata and rubbing his eyes. The manor lights snapped on, flooding the area with light, and the security guards approached them. Takeshi and Chisaki appeared, with elder Hajime close behind.

"What's all of this about?" Takeo asked his little brother.

"It's Daddy Bya!" sobbed the boy, "He won't wake up!"

Takeo's eyes widened, but elder Hajime gave him a meaningful look and nodded.

"Ahm...I'm...sure it'll be okay," he said reassuringly, "Go with your attendant. Daddy Bya has been ill, but he'll be okay."

Hajime hesitated, looking up at his elder namesake. Elder Hajime met his eyes warmly.

"It will be all right, child. Go on, now," he said calmly.

Hajime looked up at the house guards.

"This is not a security emergency. Byakuya is ill and just needs our attention. Please return to your posts."

He waited as the men left to return to their posts, then turned to Takeo, Takeshi and Chisaki.

"Come, now," he urged them, stepping into Byakuya's room and approaching the bed.

He sat down next to Byakuya and placed a cool palm on the noble's forehead. His other hand passed over Byakuya's resting body, glowing softly with blue light.

"What is it?" Chisaki asked, fighting tears, "Is...is he going to be all right?"

She bit her lip and went silent as Takeshi's hand slipped into hers and squeezed gently.

"He is fighting bravely," Hajime said softly, "However, the strain on him is too great."

"What can we do?" asked Takeo, "We have to do something..."

Hajime studied Byakuya's sleeping face intently, then took a steadying breath and drew his zanpakutou.

"He needs time," the king's mate said solemnly, "and I can give him that. I have a power that can leave him in a deathlike state, without allowing him to pass over into death. Genzon Oujou...living death...a stasis that suspends one on the cusp between life and death for the duration of the enchantment. I shall cast this and it will hold him in stasis until our fate had played out."

He turned to Takeshi.

"You are heir," he said quietly, "but you have not yet been officially accepted by the elders, as you are not yet of age. As such, there may be dissent if we do not present a strong front to the council. With your permission, I will request status as interim leader until it is time."

Takeshi met his eyes for a moment, then nodded.

"You are right," he said softly, "I think it is best for the clan if you claim leadership. You are the strongest of us."

Hajime nodded in acceptance, then turned back to Byakuya. He closed his eyes, then invoked the power of the death song.

"Ban kai, Kokoro Jumon...Genzon Oujou, Zetsumei Kakyoku."

Takeo, Takeshi and Chisaki gasped softly as the deep, mournful sound of the death song rose up in their minds. On the bed, Byakuya's resting body flooded with blue light that wrapped around him and sank down beneath his skin. He twitched softly, then went perfectly still. Hajime's blue eyes regarded Byakuya sadly, and he took the younger man's hand in his.

"I promise you, I will take care of them as you would. I will watch over them, and we will reach the day when the doorway opens. I will brace the demon, and our Renji will return to you. You gave me life when I had given myself over into death, and I will return the favor, Byakuya. Rest now. Save your strength. You hold Renji's life in your hands too."

He leaned forward and kissed the noble gently on the forehead, then sat back and watched each of the children kiss him on the cheek.

"So...what do we do now?" Takeo asked, looking sadly at Byakuya.

Hajime met his eyes calmly.

"I will go with Takeshi to inform the council what has happened. I want you two to go back to bed. Get what rest you can."

Takeo watched as elder Hajime left with Takeshi, then turned back to his sister. He froze, catching his breath as he caught sight of Chisaki collapsed onto Byakuya's shoulder and crying soundlessly. Immediately, he knelt beside her, coaxing her into his arms and holding her tightly.

"It's going to be all right," he whispered in her ear, "Don't cry, Chisaki, He's going to be all right."

"B-but he's...Takeo, I can't feel his reiatsu at all! It's like...we've lost Renji, and now Byakuya too!"

"He's going to be okay..."

"How do you know?" the girl sobbed, "He's so weak! And you and elder Hajime told us that he was dying, Takeo. He's barely alive! And we don't know if, or when that doorway will open!"

"But we know that it will," insisted Takeo, "We all believe that. That is why we are training hard, and why elder Hajime is preparing to brace the demon. The doorway will open again, Chisaki! You must believe that."

"I do," the girl snuffed, rubbing her teary face on her brother's yukata, "I'm just scared, Takeo. I'm really scared!"

"It's okay," Takeo assured her, kissing her on the cheek and rubbing her back gently, "We all are."


	14. Long Awaited Omen

**Chapter 14: Long Awaited Omen**

**(Three Years Later)**

Elder Hajime stood quietly at the door to Byakuya's bedroom as Byakuya and Renji's children appeared on the walkway and moved towards him to engage in the morning ritual of greeting their father at the first touch of sunlight. Takeo reached him first, and Hajime smiled in greeting, taking in the sight of the tall, powerful young man who mirrored Renji so strongly that it was almost possible to mistake one for the other, despite Takeo's darker brown hair and lack of tattoos. Hajime met his eyes proudly, feeling a bit of sadness as he encountered the young man's haori.

_It seems wrong that his fathers could not be there to see him advance...to set the haori on his shoulders themselves. But there is no use in dwelling upon it. He is a fine young man...a fine young captain. He is everything that a young Abarai-Kuchiki should be._

"Good morning, Takeo," Elder Hajime said quietly, slipping his arms around the young man and embracing him briefly.

"Good morning, Lord Hajime," Takeo replied solemnly, returning his embrace, and then stepping into the room.

Takeshi and Chisaki arrived next, the former holding his twin sister's hand.

"Good morning Takeshi, Chisaki."

"Good morning, Lord Hajime," the two said together, hugging him before turning into Byakuya's room.

Young Hajime approached next, holding his black haired, brown eyed cousin Shika's hand in his right and red haired Akane's in his left. Shika held young Hajime's hand on her left and five year old Akiko's on her right. Rikichi and Hotaru followed their daughter and the younger children, Rikichi holding the toddler, Kisho's hand, while Hotaru held his twin, Chiasa's hand.

"This is a lovely procession," Elder Hajime said, smiling down at the children, "Byakuya and Renji would be very proud. Good morning, Akane, Hajime, Shika, Akiko, Kisho, Chiasa, Hotaru and Rikichi."

"Good morning, Lord Hajime," the group said together, before taking turns embracing the interim clan leader, then entering Byakuya's room.

Rikichi paused in the doorway as Hajime's hand touched his shoulder.

"Has there been word from Rukia?" he asked softly.

"Not yet," Rikichi answered, "She returned to Prince Kazuhiko in the valley after coming to tell us of the crack in the dimension door. The situation seemed to be under control, but..."

"But I think that we all know that the time is coming when the demon will break through. We have known all along that it would be thus, though we turned our minds away from the thought so as not to be driven mad with the knowledge."

"I think we all know what is coming," said Rikichi, "The Gotei 13 prepares, of course, but..."

"But the responsibility for handling the demon falls to me as the king's prophecy has dictated. I know I must return to his majesty soon to prepare, however I am loathe to leave Byakuya in such an unsteady state. The cracking of the dimension door caused a sudden fluctuation in his reiatsu, even under the protective power of my zanpakutou."

"What do you think that means?" asked Rikichi.

"I believe that it means that Senbonzakura is still alive, and when the door cracked, a bit of his reiatsu leaked through and reached Byakuya."

"But," added Rikichi, "the resealing of the door separated them again."

"Yes," said Hajime, nodding, "The problem is that each time the door cracks and has to be repaired, it puts a strain on him that even my powers cannot overcome. I fear that if these 'breakthroughs' continue, we could lose him."

"And if we lose him, we lose Renji as well...if he is not lost already..."

"He is alive," Hajime said with certainty, "I sensed him very briefly during one of the breakthroughs. As much as these things are troubling, they do signal an end to our waiting. I only wait now for the sign that it is time to return to his majesty. When that happens, our fate will be upon us."

"I know that it is a terrible thing," Rikichi acknowledged, "but I will be glad when this maddening waiting ends and we have a way to fight."

"The opening of the doorway will cause a mass attraction of hollows to the area. The Gotei 13 will have its hands full with that, when it happens."

"The head captain has ordered all of us to prepare," Rikichi reported, "We will be ready."

Hajime sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.

"I will be as well."

They left off speaking and joined Hotaru and the children, watching as each child approached Byakuya and offered him a greeting. Kisho and Chiasa climbed onto the bed, as was their habit, and nudged their way under one of Byakuya's hands.

"Morning, Daddy Bya," they said, crawling up to kiss his cheek, then settling again.

"Good morning, Daddy Bya," said Akane and Akiko, sprinkling pink sakura petals over him and the reclining younger twins.

"Good morning, Father," said Takeshi, squeezing Byakuya's hand and kissing him on the cheek.

"G-good morning, Father," Chisaki said, her voice catching slightly as she did the same.

"Good morning, Father," Takeo said solemnly, bending to kiss his cheek as the others had done.

As he moved, a sudden, deep rumble shook the ground beneath their feet and made the building they were in shudder and rattle ominously. Elder Hajime's head lifted and his blue eyes flickered as he felt again, the touch of Renji's presence.

_Renji!_

He felt a moment of disorientation as the connection between them faltered, then was shocked as Renji's voice sounded in his mind.

_Byakuya?_

Hajime looked down at the noble, surprised by a shift in the protective field around him, and the cracking of the defenses that Hajime had set.

"This is the biggest disturbance I have felt yet," Rikichi observed, capturing Hotaru's hand and steadying her, "I wonder if..."

The adults and children in the room froze as the room shuddered again, and they heard a loud cracking sound. On the bed, Byakuya stirred and slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes and blinking as he tried to focus.

"Renji!" he gasped breathlessly, "I...felt..."

"_Daddy Bya_," squealed the youngest children, "Daddy Bya woke up!"

Byakuya's eyes came to rest on Kisho and Chiasa, then traveled slowly from one child to the next, widening as he realized. He met Hajime's eyes sadly.

"H-how long was I...?"

"Three years," Hajime told him quietly, "You had to be placed in stasis to preserve your life. I assumed interim leadership of the clan and made sure that the children were well cared for."

"Thank you," Byakuya whispered, his eye returning to Takeo and the fifth division haori that he wore, "Takeo...you..."

"Yeah," the young man said, his eyes touched with pain, "I did as you said and completed my captain's training and exams. My promotion ceremony was about a year ago."

Tears began to threaten, but Byakuya blinked them back and nodded, squeezing Takeo's hand.

"I am very proud of you, Son. And I know that Renji will be also."

He met Hajime's eyes again and started to speak, but was interrupted by another softer rumble that went through the house. Byakuya froze, his eyes rounding as Renji's voice rose up in his mind.

_Byakuya!_

He caught his breath sharply.

_"Renji, you are...?_

_I am...alive. That bastard, Kanaye is trying to..._

Renji's voice flickered in and out as he continued.

_...door...when they seal it, he gets pissed and beats them for it. But...hasn't killed them yet. I think...soon._

_Are you all right, Abarai?_

_What?_

_I asked, are you all right?_

_M-me? I'm...okay. I have help...Kanaye's zanpakutou...he abandoned. How about you? Are you all right?_

Byakuya smiled.

_I am fine. I am coming to the dimension door. I will be there when it breaks._

_I am glad, _Renji's voice whispered into his mind, _but in a way, I wish it wouldn't break. You don't know about this guy. He used to be...samurai._

_Renji, listen to me. When you sense Elder Hajime is at the doorway, it will be time. I know you have fought him up until now, but it is Hajime's duty to fight that demon. It has never been yours. When you sense Hajime is there, you must be prepared. I will try to reach you._

Distress lit Byakuya's features as he sensed the breach in the dimension door closing and heard Renji's voice beginning to fade.

_I love you, Renji. I will come for you._

_I love you too. I will be ready._

Byakuya met Hajime's eyes again, and the look in them told the noble that he had heard the exchange.

"Renji is alive," Byakuya said to the others, "I heard his voice in my mind."

Sounds of relief flooded the room, and Chisaki and Hotaru embraced each other, both wiping away tears.

"Daddy Red?" said Akane, blinking.

"You...remember that?" asked young Hajime.

"He was lost," said Akiko, tilting her head to the side.

"But we're going to find him," Takeo said firmly, "We won't stop looking until we do. I promise."

Elder Hajime looked from Byakuya to the children and back again, considering.

"Byakuya," he said finally, "The time has come. This is what I was waiting for...the sign it is time for me to return to the king."

Byakuya freed himself from the grasp of the two clinging toddlers and slid out of bed and onto his feet. His legs shook slightly, but he remained standing, looking into Hajime's eyes proudly.

"I am grateful to you for taking care of my children and the clan. The children will help me to manage things now so that you can return to his majesty. Arigato, Hajime. I will not forget what you have done for us."

Hajime bowed gracefully.

"Byakuya, it was primarily your hand that summoned me out of death...and no matter what I do for you, it will never be enough to repay you."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, dummy!" complained snaky, smacking Renji in the face with his tail, "Whatsa matter with you! You went all goofy-eyed again. Why the hell do you keep doing that?"

"Shut up, asshole! I heard Byakuya in my head. He's still alive."

"Yeah?" the snake boy said saucily, "Well, if you want _us_ to stay alive, then you better stop getting all moony-eyed and daydreaming like that. They just attacked the dimension door again."

Renji nodded.

"That must have been when Byakuya's voice reached through to me. He sounded weak, but he was still alive, and that's something."

_Even so, _said a feminine voice in Renji's mind, _It will be for nothing if my master captures us. We must evade him until the king's samurai comes._

"You keep saying that," Renji mused, "But when I left the spirit dimension, there _was_ no king's samurai. Do you mean, Hajime, then?"

_He is the king's lover. And although advised against it, I believe that the king will send him, in the end. In a way, it is right that those two should meet in battle. After all, my master was once..._

The zanpakutou's voice faltered as another strong blast rocked the area.

"Mitsukai no ibuki!" Renji cried, noting the odd weakening of the manifested zanpakutou's reiatsu, "Are you all right?"

He caught his breath sharply as the sword's reiatsu continued to fluctuate and the pain and effects of his previous injuries began to return to him. Renji made a sound of pain and collapsed as Snakey looked on in dismay.

"What's happening!"

"I don't know," Renji groaned, "Something is affecting Kanaye's sword. And without her...I can't even walk! I won't be strong enough to fight him, and I won't be able to get away from him. Snakey...I want you to go."

The snake boy's eyes widened.

"G-go?" he repeated in a disbelieving voice, "You mean...leave you here?"

"Yeah," Renji said in a low voice, "Whatever happens to me, I don't want him to capture you."

"B-but, Renji..." Snakey said, his eyes growing worried, "I am your zanpakutou. I can't...leave you to be hurt by him. I can't!"

"Huh," Renji mused, his eyes softening, "Isn't that ironic. We can't get along at all...until times like these, where separating might be the right thing."

Snakey's eyes sought Renji's and hardened. He walked slowly to where the redhead had collapsed and paused in front of him, looking down through oddly wise looking eyes. Suddenly, his tail snapped around and slapped Renji's face.

"OW!" shouted Renji, "WHAT THE HELL?"

"THAT was for trying to make me leave you!"

He slapped the redhead again.

"OW! QUIT THAT, YOU LITTLE ASSHOLE!"

"Then stop sounding so goddamned WEAK! My master is not WEAK. He may be STUPID and a total IDIOT, but he is my master and he NEVER GIVES UP! You think BYAKUYA FUCKING KUCHIKI would marry a pathetic WIMP who gave up and DIED instead of coming home to him? If you can't walk, then I'll drag you. And if we get caught, we will fight to the end TOGETHER! YOU GOT ME?"

Renji stared up at the snake boy, his face still angry and one hand rubbing his reddened cheek. And oddly, the feelings of helplessness he had been enduring since his injury faded, and some of the spirit that had always helped him to survive, returned.

"Yeah, I get it," he said, still rubbing his cheek, "Now help me up and let's get going."

Snakey pushed and shoved him and Mitsukai no ibuki lent her slowly recovering reiatsu to bring him back to his feet. The snake boy started to turn away from the area of the dimension door, but Renji shook his head and indicated that they should move closer. Snakey's eyes widened.

"Wh-what are you doing, Renji? Shouldn't we stay away from where he is?"

"Not anymore," Renji said quietly, "It's almost time. And we need to be ready to get through the door as soon as we can. As soon as we sense that king's samurai, we move."

"But once we pass through the doorway...won't...?"

"Yeah, I will lose my connection with Mitsukai no ibuki. I won't be able to walk. We'll fight lying down if we have to, but we'll be out of here."

"What about Chimpette and Senbonzakura?" asked Snakey.

"If Byakuya and I are both alive and outside the rift, then you and Senbonzakura should travel out with us."

"But Byakuya's not going to be in shape for fighting, any more than you are," Snakey objected.

"Doesn't matter. We're going home. I've been away from them for three years, Snakey. Our littlest babies are walking. Our teenagers are about to be named heir. And Takeo..."

He sighed softly.

"He's probably already advanced. He was ready."

"You don't think that the head captain would wait to see what condition you were in when you came back?"

"Snakey, they probably gave up on me a long time ago. Not Byakuya and the kids...but the Gotei 13. And really, they were right to do that. I'm useless to them now. I can't even walk on my own. And when we get outta here..."

"When we get out of here, we're gonna find a way to get you healed and back on your feet."

Renji managed a sad smile.

"Thanks kid. You really know how to cheer me up when I'm feeling discouraged. It's...nice of you to take care of me like that."

"Heh," laughed Snakey, "Well, if I let you be a lazy ass and not get well, then Chimpette's huge butt will get even bigger...and who wants that, right?"

"Shut up!" Renji said, smacking the snake boy playfully, shaking his head and yielding an affectionate smile, "Idiot..."

XXXXXXXXXX

The king stood in the royal gardens, looking down into the healing pool as a light flash step sounded that brought an instant smile to his lips.

"Hajime," he said softly, "You have returned."

"Yes, my lord," said the noble, gazing at the king's unprotected back and sliding Zetsumei Kakyoku from his sheath, "There is increased activity around the dimension door. Numerous cracks have been made and resealed. But the door weakens."

"Yes...and fate approaches us. So...you are ready, then?"

"I am ready."

The king's eyes closed for a moment, and his hand moved to the hilt of his own weapon.

"Everything rests upon this, My Hajime. Be strong. Be wise. Be victorious."

"Have faith, my liege," answered the noble, "I will not fail you. Come to me. Trust me. Make me your own."

The king swallowed hard, his mind replaying everything from the crafting of the noble's body, to his birth and childhood...his flight into the spirit dimension and the beginning of their love affair. Tears threatened at the memory of the young man's fearless sacrifice, or the long years without him, and his recent, heartwarming return.

_We could lose each other again. We could die. But if that happens now, at least we have family to carry on after. Thank you, Byakuya and Renji. I am glad that this chance we will take now will give you something back for all you have done for us._

"My lord?"

"I am coming."

The king turned, and in the same moment, drew his sword and crossed Hajime's. Their eyes met as they thrust their weight against each other, and the king smiled.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

The king took a steadying breath.

"Begin."


End file.
